Huge thanks to Green KiTea for the Ko-fis. Enjoy the bonus chapters!

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

【Player 【Xinghe】, please make a wish.】

Jian Xingyi asked curiously, “Any wish at all? Leaving the game, infinite wealth, immunity from death—anything goes?”

……

After a moment of silence, the system’s voice sounded.

【Remember: Rewards must match your capabilities. The Priestess can only grant what you currently possess.】

Jian Xingyi thought to himself, Just as expected.

He’d heard others mention wish reward systems in certain instances. Perhaps he wished for 5 million dawn coins, but the system determined he could only obtain 500,000, so the reward would be downgraded.

Jian Xingyi stroked his chin in thought.

In that case, he needed to formulate a wish that maximized his gains.

For instance, dawn coins, land, and items from the shop were all things he could earn himself, so they were out of the question. He’d already acquired plenty of combat power and essence points in this instance, and he feared the system might be reluctant to grant more.

It was like testing the other side’s limits step by step at the negotiating table—one misjudgment meant losing out.

Jian Xingyi had been somewhat nervous, but the thought that he could still gain something extra no matter what calmed him down.

After pondering for a long time, a bizarre idea suddenly struck him.

This flash of inspiration might make everyone laugh at his foolishness, but…

Jian Xingyi declared firmly, “I want Shuixi to shed his NPC status, free from the system’s constraints and quests, and become a living, breathing person.”

After hearing about the game’s bug, perhaps because players had entered it, the map exhibited many bizarre phenomena. For instance, the beasts on the map seemed to gradually develop self-awareness as animals, and many areas no longer automatically repaired themselves, much like real nature.

So Jian Xingyi wasn’t sure if Shuixi was the same, but when they acted together, he sometimes felt like a real NPC, while other times he showed warmth, even advising him and taking responsibility for his safety.

Would a real NPC truly behave like this?

【Unable to detect the NPC 【Shuixi】 mentioned by the player.】

Unable to detect?

What does that mean? Could the system not locate Shuixi?

Jian Xingyi found this odd, so he rephrased: “Shuixi, who accompanied me on this mission.”

The system then directly pulled Shuixi over.

Jian Xingyi saw Shuixi appear before him.

Shuixi had been waiting in the void for Jian Xingyi to claim his rewards, so being suddenly pulled here caught him off guard.

Jian Xingyi confirmed, “Yes, that’s him.”

【Player 【Xinghe】 made a wish for his companion Shuixi to shed his NPC status and gain freedom.】

Shuixi was genuinely stunned now. He looked at Jian Xingyi, hesitating to speak.

His joke had cost Jian Xingyi a wish opportunity, and he felt somewhat guilty, but the wish had already been made.

【System processing… System error…】

【System error…】

【System error… hid179jio27 6^%^@!s】

Jian Xingyi felt a bit disheartened.

Was this wish simply too grand for his current status? Could the system not grant it?

【Special Reward—【Priest’s Blessing】. You may make one wish before the Fire God Priest.】

【Player 【Xinghe】, please make your wish.】

Jian Xingyi: “…”

Hey!!

Did it just roll back and ignore me?!

Jian Xingyi looked at Shuixi and said, “I’m sorry…”

Shuixi stared at Jian Xingyi, unsure what to say.

This was the first time he’d encountered a player like this in the game.

“Xinghe.”

“Hm?”

Shuixi handed him a bag of items. “These are Temporary Anchor Points. I only have two for now. If you need more after using them, I’ll give you some.”

Huh…?

He remembered Temporary Anchors being extremely rare in this game. Crafting one consumed materials that were incredibly hard to find, yet their utility was immense—they could even save your life.

There were many types of Temporary Anchors. For instance, one could be placed in a guild, allowing immediate teleportation back upon encountering danger in the wild. The one Shuixi gave him was called a Symbiotic Anchor.

Whenever one party used it, the other would instantly teleport to their side.

Shuixi had never used it before. It was an item he’d randomly obtained while tackling a high-difficulty dungeon, and he hadn’t imagined using it for the first time in this situation.

“When you use it, I’ll receive a notification and can come find you,” Shuixi explained. “Use it if you encounter danger in the future.”

This shared a similar essence to Jian Xingyi’s wish for “freedom.”

Jian Xingyi accepted it blankly. Had he triggered some special NPC gift?

“Oh…” Jian Xingyi asked uncertainly, “If I use it, will you definitely appear?”

That amazing? Did that mean Shuixi could leave this dungeon?

Shuixi nodded.

“Whenever you use it, I will appear.”

Jian Xingyi paused.

Then he turned his thoughts back to his wish reward.

Since none of those could be fulfilled…

Jian Xingyi tentatively suggested, “I want an S-grade seed.”

He’d previously obtained A-grade chili peppers and spring bamboo shoots, but had yet to see an S-grade item!

【Player 【Xinghe】 wishes for an S-grade seed.】

【System processing… System approved. Player 【Xinghe】 obtains S-grade seed. Reward generation in progress. Will be delivered to the player’s backpack shortly. Please check your inventory.】

After the system announcement, the white void space gradually disintegrated.

Jian Xingyi watched the scene before him, and Shuixi slowly dissipated.

 ━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

When he regained consciousness, he saw two magnified, anxious faces staring at him.

…!

Jian Xingyi jumped in surprise.

On the left, Haihai’s eyes brimmed with tears: “You actually didn’t die…”

On the right, Lone Wolf whistled in astonishment: “You actually made it out…”

Jian Xingyi rose dazedly, realizing he’d been sitting outside the dungeon cave. Lone Wolf and Haihai must have been waiting here for him.

Haihai and Lone Wolf visibly relaxed, plopping down right in front of Jian Xingyi.

Truthfully, upon learning Jian Xingyi had accidentally entered the instance, they had mentally prepared for his permanent absence.

In the apocalypse, death lurked daily. They weren’t strangers to losing comrades, yet… still, they had silently made their way to the instance entrance.

Maybe…?

The instance had a time limit. If Jian Xingyi hadn’t emerged within 24 hours, they would have had to face the inevitable outcome.

But now, Jian Xingyi had come out safely.

Jian Xingyi first glanced around.

Of course… Shuixi was an NPC; he wouldn’t come out with him…

Seems meeting again won’t be easy. They’d have to rely on the Synchronized Anchor Point, but that had a limited number of uses, right?

Jian Xingyi shook his head, trying to stop dwelling on it. Seeing the two now, he asked curiously, “How did you get here? Isn’t anyone guarding the guild?”

“Indeed, there isn’t. But Lone Wolf’s older brother is also a high-level fighter in the guild. He’s been on a long expedition, sending resources, supplies, and combat power back to the guild remotely. He’s about to return for a break soon. He should arrive any minute now. The two of us couldn’t wait any longer.”

Lone Wolf said coldly, “We came to collect your body. A level 6 fighter charging into a dungeon? What were you thinking?”

Haihai shook his head. “In the map I gave you, this area was clearly marked with a red circle.”

Jian Xingyi looked dejected. “I didn’t mean to… I was being chased…”

“Chased?” Lone Wolf cut him off sharply. “By whom?!”

Jian Xingyi faltered.

Jian Xingyi lowered his head, reluctant to speak. But then he remembered what Shuixi had told him.

He’d always disliked conflict, even disliked interacting with people. The fields and plants in the game were far more endearing than people. As long as he was doing well, that was enough. But clearly, not everyone could mind their own business.

Jian Xingyi told the two about Qingtian.

“Damn, I know him.” Lone Wolf assessed his strength first. “Qingtian… slightly stronger than me, about my brother and Feiyi’s level. Not someone you can afford to offend. Hmph… who gave him the nerve to provoke us? Openly hunting down players? That’s no small matter. He’s finished!”

Haihai nodded in agreement. “He probably thought Xinghe had no allies here. Maybe Sisi sent him a brainwashing package. That woman has a knack for certain things… like manipulating people. And she looks completely harmless.”

In this regard, Jian Xingyi was much like Sisi. They both possessed an innate charm that made people instantly like them. The difference was that Sisi had the added advantage of being a stunning beauty.

Jian Xingyi, however, was lost in thought. He’d noticed Haihai’s choice of words.

Companion…

“We’ll ask Heiye and the others how to handle Qingtian’s situation when we get back. Hunting down a player is basically a direct provocation to our entire guild.” Lone Wolf stood up, extending his hand to Jian Xingyi. “Let’s head back and rest first. The way you look, you’re about to drop dead any second.”

After seeing Jian Xingyi’s home, Lone Wolf and Haihai didn’t leave.

Haihai asked curiously, “Hey, tell us how you escaped. You didn’t dig an escape tunnel with your farming skill, did you?”

Jian Xingyi replied blankly, “I cleared the instance. That’s how I got out.”

“…”

“…???”

Huh?

“You… beat the dungeon?”

“Yeah, and I got rewards too. But most of the dungeon rewards were wishes… so weird…”

“…”

“Seriously?”

That’s… that’s insane, right??

How did Jian Xingyi, with his Combat Power of 6, actually clear the game?!

Jian Xingyi roughly described his experience to the two.

“NPC??” Haihai and Lone Wolf exchanged bewildered glances.

This made no sense.

Haihai frowned. “Here’s the thing—this dungeon isn’t easy. Even Lone Wolf and I wouldn’t dare attempt it, which is why the rewards are so generous and the achievements so numerous. But from your description, it sounds surprisingly manageable… So… it’s likely that NPC you mentioned made the process much simpler.”

Simpler? It was downright surreal.

It was like Jian Xingyi had been cheating the entire time!

Without that NPC, Jian Xingyi wouldn’t have been able to obtain those two flowers and present them to the priest.

If Jian Xingyi had been alone, just surviving would have been tough enough—there’d be no spare time to collect items. Yet by collecting them, he unlocked an extra reward option and a wish.

Lone Wolf added, “But here’s the question… why would the system pair you with such a powerful NPC?”

It essentially lowered the dungeon’s difficulty.

Could it be that Jian Xingyi’s combat power was so low it triggered some kind of system protection mechanism?

That’s just unreasonable!

The two were utterly perplexed.

And according to Jian Xingyi, he even gained 50 combat points in the end!!

Unbelievably OP!

But their confusion quickly vanished when Jian Xingyi used his newly acquired 592 points to upgrade his farmland.

Jian Xingyi beamed with delight. “All 13 plots here are C-grade. If we upgrade them to B-grade, crop yields will double, and synthesis won’t require waiting—we can sell food much more efficiently!”

“Wow…”

“Wow…”

Haihai joined Lone Wolf in their collective oohs and aahs.

Upgrading one plot from C to B required 100 points, meaning he could only upgrade five plots for now.

But it was still incredibly satisfying!

The fields doubled in size right before everyone’s eyes, appearing clean and tidy with soft, healthy soil. The sight left the other two green with envy, their hearts aching.

Jian Xingyi thought to himself: This journey had yielded essence, 50 combat points, two crystals of unknown use, and the Anchor Point—which he hadn’t dared mention to the others.

Not bad at all!!

Lone Wolf glared enviously. “You plan to upgrade all these fields to Grade B?”

Jian Xingyi beamed. “Yep. Next, I’ll head to the Lava Volcano for that side quest—the one collecting five Fire Spirit Divine Flower Crystals. Since I already have two crystals now, I should be able to upgrade every single field!”

Lone Wolf and Haihai exchanged another meaningful glance.

Jian Xingyi thought to himself: How could these two have known each other for only a few days yet already feel like they shared so many secrets? Is this what humans who excel at socializing and talking are like?

Lone Wolf said, “Haihai and I discussed it—we’ll try to accompany you out more often from now on.”

“Huh?” Jian Xingyi slowly shattered.

Lone Wolf thought to himself, at first, their relationship with Jian Xingyi was probably more mutual exploitation than mutual aid.

Jian Xingyi was weak in combat but possessed enviable skills. So they gave him shelter, and he helped them through crises.

But gradually… He didn’t know about others, but at least just now, when Haihai told him Jian Xingyi was trapped in the nectar, he couldn’t think of anything else. He only felt worry and anger.

Jian Xingyi said, “I was fine on my own before.”

“Before is before,” Haihai shook his head. “Before, Peace Mountain was like the backyard of Grapevine Peak—relatively safe. But Lava Volcano is far more dangerous. Sure, being careful helps, but the biggest issue is… people.”

Jian Xingyi paused.

They had a point.

Before, he’d been obscure, quietly tilling his fields. But now he’d offended people and gained notoriety. His fame was growing, and more and more people knew he had food. Though his actual skills remained unclear, he was undoubtedly profitable. What if someone with sinister intentions showed up?

Today was the perfect proof.

Before this, Jian Xingyi had never imagined players could threaten his life or hunt him down.

Lone Wolf shrugged. “Perfect timing. My brother’s back now. Let’s hand the guild over to him and head to Lava Volcano for some side quests. We can gather gun resources while we’re there.”

“Yeah, I already told Heiye about the situation.”

Speak of the devil.

Immediately after, Jian Xingyi received a text from Heiye.

Heiye: 【I sent a message and friend request to Wildfire’s Guild President 【Wildfire】. Awaiting his reply.】

Jian Xingyi couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

This scene… felt like they were each running to their parents.

But Sisi was now in Wildfire Scorching Plains, and Guild Administrator Qingtian was her newly appointed sycophant. Who knew what the Guild President’s stance would be?

In any case, he’d have to wait and see what Heiye said next.

Seeing Jian Xingyi’s weary expression, Haihai tactfully suggested, “Let’s head back first. Let Xinghe rest.”

He sensed Jian Xingyi needed time to process the reality of their companionship. Plus, his E-Energy was already depleted, leaving him somewhat dazed.

Watching their retreating figures, Jian Xingyi suddenly realized something.

After upgrading five plots of land, he now had only 92 Essence Points left—just 8 points short of unlocking another plot.

And… Lone Wolf? He hadn’t activated any skills on him yet!

He had already unlocked Heiye, Baizhou, Feiyi, and Haihai, but Lone Wolf had been absent at the time, causing him to miss it.

Lone Wolf was even willing to accompany him on explorations. Surely he could spare a measly 8 points?!

Right…?

Jian Xingyi quietly pressed his palms together toward Lone Wolf’s retreating figure.

Please, big shot!

Activate!

【Collection Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x88】

Jian Xingyi: “…”

Wait, 88?!

Haihai, whom he’d just met but owed his life to, was at 15. Heiye and Baizhou were only 20. Feiyi, who barely knew him, was at 0. And yet…

Lone Wolf constantly teased him, always looking unhappy or annoyed, and he got 88?

You little brat.

You little brat!!

And…

【Collection Successful. Congratulations! Player has obtained a Purple-A Grade Seed!】

【Collection Successful. Obtained 【Foxtail Grass】 Seeds x40】

An A Grade Seed!!!

It even scanned seeds for him!

Only then did Jian Xingyi recall the system mentioned earlier: if a player’s essence value reached a certain threshold, seeds would drop, their rarity determined by the value.

Jian Xingyi hurriedly clicked on the details.

【Variety: Grade A Foxtail Grass Seed】

【Description: Medicinal use, animal feed, woof woof!】

【Source: Player Lone Wolf】

Jian Xingyi: “…”

Good stuff is truly good stuff, but why does it feel like… he just insulted Lone Wolf?

It kinda feels like a veiled dig at something!

But Jian Xingyi was floating on cloud nine. He quickly upgraded another plot of land. So far, 6 out of his 13 plots had been upgraded to Grade B, and he still had 80 essence points left!

With a little more effort, just over six hundred points more, he could upgrade all his fields.

And… with foxtail grass as feed, couldn’t he start raising livestock?!

He still had a flock of lambs in his backpack!

Wild animals were notoriously difficult to hunt, unless you deliberately sought them out in high-level maps, as Blue Sky and White Clouds did. Ever since that accidental encounter with the guild’s wild boar, they hadn’t come across any significant beasts. Even if they did, hunting them was just for a quick snack.

But raising animals would be different!

At the very least… a stable meat supply! Plus, it meant another tradable commodity! A whopping 1.6 million credits—without sufficient materials prepared, how could he possibly afford it?

Meanwhile, a system notification chimed. His S-grade seed… had finally arrived.

【Ding! Player 【Xinghe】’s requested S-grade seed has been added to your inventory. Please check your backpack.】

Jian Xingyi opened it with eager anticipation.