With the uninvited guests dealt with, the valley returned to its usual tranquility.
Yun Shu leaned against a large tree, her hands tucked behind her head, watching from a distance as the lights in the bamboo sheds of the valley flickered to life one by one.
Originally, she had intended to switch to the Goddess of Harvest Set to directly accelerate the growth of the sweet potato seedlings planted by Cui Erlang and the others, hoping to give them a bit more hope for their future lives.
However, she then remembered the impending locust plague in Xindu City and had to temporarily abandon that idea.
Until she was certain she could resolve the locust plague, she had to keep a trump card in reserve for the worst-case scenario.
She estimated that the skill range of the enhanced Goddess of Harvest Set could encompass the entirety of Xindu City.
The skill's effects were impressive, but the one-month cooldown added after the upgrade was somewhat bothersome.
If she used it today, she would be left helpless when the crops in Xindu City were ravaged by the locust plague later on.
“System, how much Shock Value do I have now?”
“76,660.”
The little fox hopped onto her shoulder and muttered in a low voice.
“Host, you’ve earned so much Shock Value. Why do you still sleep out in the elements every day?”
“The System Space has a room with a king-sized bed, and it only costs five thousand Shock Value per night. You can definitely afford it.”
“System, money must be spent where it matters most,” Yun Shu said as she looked up at the stars twinkling in the night sky.
Spending Shock Value in the System Space to handle personal needs and hygiene was a necessary expense.
Returning to the System Space just to sleep in a big bed was not.
She said softly, “Back when I was on missions and had to sleep in the wild, I not only had to worry about being shot but also about being bitten by snakes, rats, or insects. These conditions are much better than what I had then.”
The Butterfly Hidden Pin from the Floating Dream Set was hundreds of times more effective than any modern insect repellent.
“Host, once the mission is complete, I’ll apply to the Main God for an extra billion-dollar bonus for you.” The system’s large fox tail gently brushed against Yun Shu’s arm. “That way, when you reincarnate back into your original world, you’ll have total financial freedom. You can quit being a narcotics officer and just live a peaceful, lazy life.”
“Mm, alright.”
Yun Shu smiled and pulled the little fox into her arms. The fluffy bundle nestled in the crook of her arm felt warm and cozy.
Afterward, she freed one hand and tapped on the system panel.
A pale blue light screen expanded before her eyes, with various functional icons arranged neatly.
The permanent prize pool was always available, but the sets within it were too disorganized. The probability of pulling something she actually needed was extremely low. Compared to the permanent pool, she preferred the limited-time prize pool.
The limited-time pool only contained two high-grade outfits. If she wanted to collect one of them, the probability was quite high.
Unfortunately, the limited-time prize pool had not yet refreshed.
Just as she was about to close the system panel, her peripheral vision caught the system skin function in the corner.
After a moment of thought, she clicked into the system skins.
A wide variety of skins instantly filled the screen, a dazzling array that was almost overwhelming.
There were common animals as well as mythological beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas.
Each one was marked with a different price, ranging from a few thousand to several hundred thousand Shock Value.
Her gaze swept across the options until she spotted a high-grade skin that caught her eye.
The Qiuyu, a mythological beast from the mountains and seas. It was said that whenever it appeared, a plague of locusts would strike the land.
This system skin was valued at 50,000 Shock Value.
Of course, its high price was justified.
High-grade skins came with additional skills. For instance, this Qiuyu skin possessed the ability to control locusts.
“System, let me buy a new skin for you.”
Upon hearing this, the system immediately perked up.
But in the next second, its fox ears drooped, and its eyes filled with disdain for the Qiuyu skin on the screen.
“Host, I don’t want it. This skin looks like a rabbit but has a bird’s beak and a snake’s tail. It’s so ugly, and yet it costs 50,000 Shock Value!”
“We shouldn’t be suckers,” it advised. “Buying this skin is really not worth it.”
Yun Shu clearly wasn’t asking for the system’s opinion. Without even blinking, she clicked purchase.
The sound of Shock Value being deducted made the system’s heart ache, but it couldn't stop her.
“Hurry up and put it on so I can see,” Yun Shu urged.
System: “...”
Thinking that it had already been bought, the system reluctantly equipped the Qiuyu skin. It transformed from a spiritual little fox into a strange-looking, large grey rabbit.
“Not bad, not bad,” Yun Shu said, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
This Qiuyu skin was truly a godsend. She had already thought of a way to occupy Xindu City legitimately while simultaneously resolving the locust plague and harvesting a massive wave of Shock Value.
The system couldn't help but start complaining.
“The Shen brothers are so handsome, yet you don’t even spare them a glance. All day long, you just stare at a bunch of emaciated refugees.”
“My little fox skin was so beautiful and cute, yet you insisted on making me change into something this ugly!”
“Host, I’ve realized something. You have a thing for ugly things...”
Yun Shu pinched the system’s bird beak shut.
“Be quiet and go to sleep.”
...
The first light of dawn filtered through the gaps in the bamboo shed and fell upon Shen Jue’s face. He slowly opened his eyes to the sight of the simple bamboo roof and hanging withered grass.
He had spent the night lying fully clothed in the bamboo shed within the valley.
After a moment of silence, he sat up, rubbed his stiff neck, and walked out of the shed.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated, floating through the valley and casting a hazy blue-grey veil over the distant stream.
The air was damp, carrying a faint scent of rice.
Rice scent?
Shen Jue froze slightly and followed the fragrance with his gaze.
A young girl of eight or nine stood outside the bamboo shed. She was small and thin, wearing a set of coarse cloth clothes covered in patches. The fabric had been washed until it was white, marking her as one of the local refugees.
However, her complexion was healthy, and her eyes were bright like two black grapes soaked in water. She looked nothing like the emaciated, hollow-eyed children he had seen on his journey from the capital.
The girl held a coarse porcelain bowl, the rim still steaming. The scent of rice was wafting from that very bowl.
She looked up at Shen Jue, showing no fear of a stranger.
“Big brother, my name is Cui He. I am the teacher’s student. He asked me to bring this to you.”
Shen Jue looked down.
It was actually white porridge!
The porridge wasn't particularly thick, but the grains of rice were plump and boiled until soft. One could tell at a glance that it was made from high-quality rice.
He stared at the bowl of porridge, his throat bobbing slightly.
It wasn't out of greed, but confusion.
In this desolate wilderness, where did rice come from?
In recent years, Xindu City had been plagued by disasters. Even the granaries of the provincial government had run dry, forcing them to shut the refugees out of the city.
Who could afford such a generous distribution of porridge?
As for Shen Er’s previous nonsense about the Divine Lady descending to grant porridge, he had long since put it out of his mind.
“Where did this porridge come from?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“The Divine Lady granted it to us!”
Cui He smiled, revealing two dimples. “Now, every one of us can have porridge every day.”
Shen Jue’s pupils constricted.
“Everyone? Every day?”
Cui He replied, “We couldn't have it every day before, because the Divine Lady Temple couldn't hold enough people to kowtow to Her Ladyship.”
Hearing this, Shen Jue’s heart gradually calmed.
He knew it. Providing such white porridge every day was something even the local wealthy families in Xindu City couldn't sustain.
“But the teacher is very smart. He told the people who go to kowtow to the Divine Lady to bring the porridge back and pour it together. Then we add some hot water, so everyone can have some.”
“...”
Shen Jue remained silent for a long while.
Only then did he take the coarse porcelain bowl and take a sip of the porridge.
The fragrance of the rice dissolved on his tongue and slid down his throat like a warm current flowing into his empty stomach.
It was so fragrant.
This was real.
It wasn't a dream, nor was it an illusion.
This was real grain, real white porridge.
After finishing the porridge, he returned the bowl to the young girl.
Considering she might not know Shen Yu’s courtesy name, he addressed him directly.
“Is the teacher you mentioned Shen Yu?”
Cui He nodded.
“Where is he?” Shen Jue pressed.
“The teacher took some people to reclaim the land on the back mountain. He said it will all be used to plant sweet potatoes in the future...”
“Can you take me to find him?”
Shen Jue desperately wanted to find Shen Yu and figure out what was going on with this white porridge.
The events of last night could still be dismissed as a dreamscape, but this porridge was something he had physically consumed.
How could that feeling of fullness be faked?
Could it be that there truly is a god in this world?
This was the second time the same question had surfaced in his mind.
Rate on N.U.
