Chapter 45 – Upgraded Again!
The sun continued to rise, dispelling the night’s cold completely as the heat began to radiate.
Zhou Qi kept a steady pace, following closely behind Old Li.
Old Li wasn’t running fast but maintained a stable pace that seemed slow yet steady. Without the lightening technique, Zhou Qi felt he might struggle to keep up.
Tang Yu’an clung to Zhou Qi’s shoulder, checking the map to monitor their surroundings. He paused, surprised at what he saw.
“In the wasteland, always remember to conserve your energy,” Old Li advised, explaining some survival tips for traversing the wasteland. “Running to cover ground may be faster, but it drains stamina quickly and is more likely to attract mutant creatures.”
“At this pace, you can conserve energy and stay alert to any unusual sounds or movements around you…”
As he spoke, Old Li’s expression suddenly shifted, and he stopped talking mid-sentence.
They had entered the area where Zhou Qi first encountered Granny Guo. It was a maze of narrow, winding paths, easy to get lost in if one wasn’t careful.
Old Li pulled Zhou Qi to a stop and drew his crossbow from his back.
“Something’s up.”
Zhou Qi’s expression grew tense, sensing the same unease.
In a low voice, Old Li continued, “When I count to three, take An An and run down the path to the left. Follow it to the ruins at the end and hide there until I come for you.”
“Remember, go full speed and don’t look back!”
He hadn’t expected to run into mutant creatures so early, but Old Li was used to the constant danger of the wasteland and made his decision instantly.
Separating was their best chance for survival.
“Got it.” Zhou Qi replied nervously.
“One… two… three!”
At the count of three, they split up.
Old Li darted into the path on the right, while Zhou Qi ran down the left path. However, Zhou Qi didn’t sprint as Old Li had instructed.
“An An?”
If there were truly a threat, Tang Yu’an should have warned him, but he’d been silent the entire time.
“Hey, Brother Qi, stop for a moment,” Tang Yu’an suggested.
Zhou Qi hesitated, finding it odd, but complied, wondering if Old Li had made a mistake.
Then…
“Come on out, Black Pearl,” Tang Yu’an called out toward a nearby collapsed building.
Nothing happened at first.
Tang Yu’an sighed, then reached into his portable storage and pulled out the invincible cat teaser. The sound of a tiny bell chimed, and a sleek black figure emerged from the ruins.
Black Pearl came running toward Tang Yu’an, her normally cold, golden eyes now round and sparkling with a curious warmth, fixated on the cat toy in his hand.
As she ran, her form shrank, until she clung to the toy, now transformed into a small ginger kitten.
“Meow—”
Black Pearl clung to the toy, pawing and biting at it. Of all the animals, she was perhaps the only one who genuinely adored the cat toy.
Zhou Qi looked down at the kitten, surprised to see that Black Pearl had secretly followed them.
As a kitten, her fur had turned a soft, creamy ginger color, with a snow-white belly, making her look irresistibly fluffy.
Given Black Pearl’s temperament, Tang Yu’an didn’t dare try to pet her.
Still, he noted that Black Pearl was a very clean cat—her fur looked fresh and well-kept, unlike Wang Cai, who had been dusty and gray when he first transformed.
“Why did you follow us?” Tang Yu’an asked, scratching her chin.
“Meow—”
Black Pearl was too entranced by the cat toy to answer.
When Tang Yu’an finally put the toy away, Black Pearl snapped out of it. She stood up, examining her new form, seemingly more pleased with it than her puppy shape.
Noticing the two boys staring at her, she froze, then turned her head away nonchalantly.
“Do you want to come with us to the town?” Tang Yu’an asked.
Black Pearl stopped and looked back at him.
“If you want to come, you can ride in my coat pocket.” Tang Yu’an opened his coat pocket. With his backpack on, there was no room in the hood, so Black Pearl could only hide in his pocket.
Black Pearl stared at him.
Just as Tang Yu’an thought she might refuse, she flicked her tail, trotted over, and hopped into his pocket, peeking her small head out.
For her, moving with this new perspective was a novel experience. She looked around curiously.
Tang Yu’an gently patted her head, and she didn’t resist.
“Brother Qi, let’s go meet up with Grandpa Li.”
“Alright,” Zhou Qi nodded.
Old Li truly was an experienced hunter. Black Pearl had hidden quietly in the shadows and had no hostility toward them, yet he still sensed her presence.
Tang Yu’an glanced at the map. “Grandpa Li is heading to the meeting spot.”
“Got it.”
Zhou Qi lifted him onto his back and quickly made his way toward the ruins where they had agreed to regroup.
With Tang Yu’an’s map, they didn’t have to worry about mutant creatures nearby and could proceed confidently.
Now, with Black Pearl’s presence, they didn’t need to worry as much about any real danger.
Of course, Black Pearl was still a mutant creature, so it was best for her to remain hidden from others to avoid conflicts. As Old Li had hinted, Jufeng Town had special ability users dedicated to hunting down mutant creatures, so they had to be cautious.
Before long, they “accidentally” reunited with Old Li.
“Grandpa Li, are you alright?” Tang Yu’an asked, feigning innocence.
Old Li shook his head. Seeing the two boys safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief but then furrowed his brows.
Something felt off. Today’s encounter had been too strange.
When he’d charged down the path, he hadn’t encountered any mutant creatures, and looking at Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, it didn’t seem like they had either. Could it be… his instincts had been wrong?
Old Li glanced around, and his gaze finally landed on Tang Yu’an.
Tang Yu’an instinctively straightened, his right hand crossing over his chest to cover his slightly bulging pocket.
Fortunately, Old Li quickly retracted his piercing gaze.
“As long as you’re okay.” He turned and headed toward the path. “Let’s go. We can’t waste any more time.”
The little ginger cat poked its head out from his pocket, looked at Old Li’s retreating figure, and then ducked back inside.
Tang Yu’an let out a sigh of relief, climbed onto Zhou Qi’s back, and they resumed their journey.
*
Gradually, the surroundings shifted from abandoned high-rises to shorter, more dilapidated buildings. These houses were in far worse condition than the larger buildings; it was rare to find even one intact structure.
Weeds poked through cracks in the crumbling walls, struggling to grow under the scorching sun.
Tang Yu’an gazed at the desolate landscape, feeling a deep sense of abandonment and loneliness.
But, as Old Li had mentioned, this path connecting Jufeng Town and the center of the wasteland wasn’t exclusive to them.
In the distance, he noticed a small black speck at the end of the road.
After about two minutes, a burly figure came into view ahead of them.
The man was quite robust, only slightly shorter than Tie Jin. His messy brown hair and animal-skin clothes made him look like a wild man.
Tang Yu’an lowered his head, using his hat to hide his face and avoid drawing attention.
The two groups passed each other quickly without any interaction.
Watching the green dot on his map cross paths with them and then move away, Tang Yu’an felt a pang of regret, as if he’d missed out on earning some experience points.
“That’s Bashi,” Old Li suddenly said. “He’s a resident of the wasteland, and he has a brother named Batu.”
Tang Yu’an quickly labeled the green dot with the man’s name.
Once the man was completely out of sight, he joked, “Don’t tell me he’s an earth-type ability user?”
“You guessed right,” Old Li said. “In the wasteland, many people name themselves after their abilities.”
“What about childhood names?” Tang Yu’an asked.
“Childhood names?” Old Li chuckled. “Kids don’t usually have names.”
Naming a child was rare in the wasteland since survival was so hard. Only those who made it to adulthood would get names, and naming a child who might die young only added to the grief when they didn’t make it.
Tang Yu’an fell silent.
He hadn’t realized how brutal life could be in a post-apocalyptic world… like Jin Lili, who was lucky enough to meet Tie Jin, find shelter, and be treated kindly. It was a rare stroke of luck.
The atmosphere grew quiet, and they continued onward in silence.
The desolation of the ruins, with no one in sight for long stretches, weighed heavily on Tang Yu’an’s heart.
“Grandpa Li, what’s your ability?” he asked, breaking the silence.
“Me?” Old Li didn’t answer immediately. “You’ll find out when we stop to rest at noon.”
“Alright…”
Tang Yu’an thought for a moment and then asked, “About that Bashi—don’t you know him? Why didn’t you greet him?”
“In the wilderness, it’s better not to make unnecessary conversation,” Old Li replied, keeping an eye on their surroundings. “Besides, I’m not close with those two brothers.”
Tang Yu’an’s ears perked up. Could it be that they weren’t trustworthy?
“Why not?”
“We had a bit of a disagreement once,” Old Li replied. “Batu has a hot temper and a reckless nature. Bashi is a bit better, but it’s best if you keep your distance from them.”
Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi both nodded, making a mental note.
All the customers they’d met so far were decent people, thanks in large part to introductions from Granny Guo and Old Li.
But they knew their luck wouldn’t hold forever, which was why they were cautious about revealing the location of the grocery store.
Traveling was monotonous and nerve-wracking, but thankfully, with the map, Tang Yu’an could tell there were no mutant creatures nearby—likely because the path was frequently used by ability users who cleared them out.
They encountered small animals along the way, but they posed no threat.
At a fork in the road, Old Li suddenly stopped.
The path split into three: one led back to the wasteland’s center, another seemed to go toward Jufeng Town, and the third led to an unknown destination.
“Remember that marker,” Old Li said, pointing to a large stone on the left path, marked with a large, scratched-out X.
“If you value your life, don’t take this path,” he warned, his tone unusually grave.
“Why?” Zhou Qi asked, frowning. “Is it full of mutant creatures?”
But Old Li shook his head. “There’s something on that path more terrifying than mutant creatures.”
“What is it?” Tang Yu’an asked.
A hint of sadness crept into Old Li’s expression. “If you keep following that road, at the end, there’s an old chemical plant from before the apocalypse.”
By now, Zhou Qi seemed to understand, but Tang Yu’an still looked confused.
“After the apocalypse, that chemical plant experienced a massive explosion. The chemicals stored there spread out, turning that entire area into a true hell on earth. Now… it’s completely barren and lifeless,” Old Li said, his tone grave.
“The road ahead is covered in thick miasma halfway through. Even ability users who get too close will die, let alone ordinary people.”
He emphasized again, “If you encounter a mutant creature, you might have a chance to escape unharmed. But there… it’s impossible.”
Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but swallow, nodding seriously under the weight of Old Li’s gaze.
Afterward, Old Li led them onto a different path.
Tang Yu’an, resting on Zhou Qi’s shoulder, glanced back at the stone with the large X carved into it and marked this spot on his map.
Looking at the area marked with thick fog beyond that point, his mood grew somber.
So, having the map didn’t guarantee absolute safety.
The map only highlighted red dots for dangerous creatures, but on the wasteland, dangers didn’t come solely from mutant creatures—environmental hazards were just as deadly.
The environment alone could be lethal.
If they hadn’t had Old Li guiding them, they might have ended up on that path to nowhere…
Feeling apprehensive, Tang Yu’an fell silent, focusing instead on learning survival skills from Old Li, his nerves taut.
Around noon, Old Li found a relatively intact building and led them inside to rest.
“Let’s take a break here. We’ll head out again in the afternoon.”
It was a little past noon now, and Zhou Qi’s light-body skill had long worn off. He hadn’t had Tang Yu’an recast it, either.
After two to three hours of travel, Old Li’s pace had slowed as the heat and fatigue set in, so conserving the light-body skill seemed wise.
At first, Zhou Qi carried Tang Yu’an, but eventually, even he couldn’t keep going, so Tang Yu’an had to walk on his own.
Now, finally at a resting point, Tang Yu’an plopped down, unwilling to move another inch.
Walking itself hadn’t been too bad, but the heat…
The ground felt so hot that even through his shoes, it seemed like he’d get blisters. His head felt as if it was about to catch fire despite his hat.
Tang Yu’an had never endured such hardship before.
Even in this apocalyptic world, he hadn’t truly faced many hardships.
There were moments when he felt he might pass out, but catching sight of Zhou Qi and Old Li pushing through in silence kept him from voicing any complaints.
If Zhou Qi could do it, why couldn’t he?
Sister Lin Zhen was just an ordinary person, yet she trained to be so skilled, living freely on the wasteland. Why couldn’t he?
It was just walking, after all.
With sheer determination, Tang Yu’an forced himself to keep going.
Zhou Qi was exhausted too. After Tang Yu’an had started walking, Zhou Qi took over carrying their bag—since Old Li was with them, they couldn’t store everything in the portable space.
Finally sitting down, he chugged down half a bottle of water, feeling a bit better afterward.
Since he’d only recently awakened his ability, his body wasn’t yet fully acclimated, and the intense sun took its toll on him too.
But he recovered quickly. A bit of water and wiping off his sweat helped immensely.
Seeing Tang Yu’an looking completely worn out, Zhou Qi, ignoring Old Li’s presence, placed a hand on his head, recalling the feeling from before, and began to absorb the heat from Tang Yu’an’s body.
Tang Yu’an sighed in relief.
Old Li, watching, was taken aback. “Ice?”
But then he shook his head, correcting himself. “No, not ice.”
Zhou Qi pulled his hand away; his ability could only last for a moment, but it was enough to bring Tang Yu’an some relief.
He looked at Old Li, considering the trust they’d built over the past few days, and finally spoke up, “Fire.”
Old Li widened his eyes in surprise.
Fire?
“Ah… absorbing heat?”
Old Li paused for a moment before realization dawned on him. “That’s an interesting application.”
Most fire-users focused on creating flames for battle or generating heat for survival.
Absorbing heat to cool someone down… Old Li had never encountered this before in all his years.
He looked at Zhou Qi with admiration. “Fire is a very powerful ability. With a high potential, you have a promising future if you keep training.”
Among natural abilities, fire was undeniably one of the most destructive. The intense heat of the wasteland made it especially effective for combat users, much like the administrator of Jufeng Town.
Old Li had seen many fire-users, and they had significant advantages in battling mutant creatures.
“And what about yours, Grandpa?” Tang Yu’an asked curiously.
This time, Old Li didn’t hold back. He pulled out a wooden bowl from his pack and crouched in a corner of the building.
There was a small puddle of water there, with green moss growing around it.
Under the watchful eyes of Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi, the damp soil quickly dried up, and the once-healthy green moss turned brown and withered.
At the same time, a small, irregular blob of clear liquid formed in Old Li’s hand, gradually growing larger.
By the time he transferred it to the bowl, he’d collected nearly half a bowl of liquid.
So, Old Li’s ability was water-based?
Thinking back, the crystal he’d initially given them as thanks had been a water-type crystal!
Tang Yu’an quickly used his beginner identification skill on the liquid in the bowl, spending 1 point to obtain the information.
This was pure water! Completely free from impurities.
Old Li took a sip from the bowl, then looked at the two boys. “See now?”
Tang Yu’an studied his dark eyes, unable to resist asking, “Your ability is water-based? Then why aren’t your eyes blue?”
“Because my power isn’t very strong,” Old Li said calmly. “Its nature isn’t particularly potent.”
“How can you say that?” Tang Yu’an replied. “On the wasteland, pure water sources are practically non-existent. Drinking dirty water too often makes people sick.”
“You get used to it,” Old Li said, shrugging. “There’s a risk of sickness, but it’s relatively low.”
In the natural environment, people could find enough water; who would be willing to trade precious supplies for pure water? And Old Li’s ability had limitations—he couldn’t create water from scratch and needed a high-moisture environment to extract pure water. His ability was mainly useful to him alone.
Old Li’s survival in the wasteland relied more on his inherent skills than his ability.
“Alright, you’re probably hungry too. Let’s eat something first.” He offered the bowl of pure water to Tang Yu’an. “Want a drink?”
“Yes!” Tang Yu’an paused. “Could I get a bit more? I’ll trade you for it.”
He held out half a whole-wheat bun in exchange. Old Li looked at the bun, surprised, but didn’t refuse.
He filled the bowl with water and completed the trade with Tang Yu’an.
A bowl of water was worth 2 points, half a bun 1 point, so he narrowly completed a profitable transaction.
[Congratulations! You have completed profitable transactions for 7 consecutive days. Achievement unlocked: “Rookie Entrepreneur.” Points +100.]
Yes!
Tang Yu’an was thrilled. Although his points had climbed to over 3700, an extra 100 was still a big deal.
Thinking back to his early days in this world, he remembered how Zhou Qi once risked his life for a mere 100 points. The memory still made Tang Yu’an’s heartache.
So every point had to be cherished—he wouldn’t waste them just because he had more now!
Old Li took a bite of the whole-wheat bun, his eyes lighting up slightly. He looked back at the boys but refrained from asking any further questions.
These two boys definitely had secrets, but Old Li didn’t feel the need to pry.
Things were good between them as they were—no need to spoil that.
Sometimes, it was better to remain in the dark.
Old Li returned to his bun, and seeing him let the matter rest, Tang Yu’an relaxed a bit. Half a bun wasn’t enough to satisfy him, so he traded another half for an additional bowl of pure water.
Unlike the water they usually got from the store, this pure water was safe to drink directly, making it a bit more valuable at 2 points per bowl. Trading with Old Li could now become a steady way to gain points.
After finishing the day’s daily tasks with two profitable trades, Tang Yu’an made a quick loss transaction to gain his final experience point.
Then…
[Experience points full, Merchant Level +1.]
[Merchant level reaches lv4: New items in the market: millet, wound-plaster, vinegar. Check the “Wholesale Market” for details.]
[Market “Acquisition” upgraded to “Dimensional Shop.” New display case function added, including options for filtering, viewing product traffic, saved items, and price inquiries.]
[Special Skill “Remote Retrieval” upgraded to lv3. Check the skill panel for details.]
[Portable storage slot +1, 7-Day Sale Refresh Card +1.]
Haha, another level up!
This time, the upgrade rewards included another “7-Day Sale Refresh Card”—he remembered the last time he got a “Daily Task Refresh Card.”
He looked at the description for “Remote Retrieval lv3.”
Just as Zhou Qi had guessed, his retrieval range had expanded from 10 kilometers to 100 kilometers!
Since the shop was still within a 100-kilometer straight-line radius, this meant he could retrieve items from the shop anytime!
Tang Yu’an was about to open the Dimensional Shop to check out the new display case function when he heard footsteps outside.
Old Li and Zhou Qi quickly went on alert.
The footsteps were heading straight toward their shelter, and before they could react further, the owner of the footsteps pushed the door open.
