Inside the small, dilapidated hut, Yu Fei announced someone was coming. Instinctively, everyone’s gaze shifted toward the doorway.

The small wooden door was shut tight. Outside, the wind and rain raged, drowning out any sound of footsteps. Someone coming at a time like this?

Cen An was about to question if he’d misheard when a loud bang echoed—the door slammed open by a gust of wind.

Yu Fei and Tian Yuan immediately stood up, shielding him behind them. Yu Lin leaned against the wall, leisurely pulling out his seed pouch to fiddle with.

Even Xiao Yi reacted swiftly, shielding him with his body.

Before Cen An could process what was happening, he found himself surrounded and protected by three ability users.

Confused, he looked up. Amid the torrential downpour, a group of people stood outside.

Each wore black raincoats, and leading them was a familiar face—Shi Long and his squad of ability user operatives.

Among them, he spotted Li Wei. The earnest young man looked bewildered and conflicted. When their eyes met, Li Wei instinctively flushed with embarrassment.

Cen An paused, his expression shifting. “Captain Shi, what brings you here?”

Shi Long was watching him too.

He’d long been observing this young man—whether it was those extraordinary vegetables or the remarkably effective medicines. He even knew of his connections with Qu Yue and her group…

But he’d never known he was also linked to Yu Fei.

Shi Long’s gaze swept over Yu Fei, Tian Yuan, and Yu Lin, his brow furrowing slightly. What were these three doing here? This must have been arranged by Qu Yue’s side…

Today’s affairs were likely to become complicated.

His gaze finally settled on Cen An’s face. “Mr. Cen.” His tone was deliberately slow, yet carried an air of finality. “I hear you recently acquired a batch of wind-cold fruit. With so many villagers stricken by the cold, many suffering from wind-cold ailments, we hope you can provide it to address this urgent need.” “

No sooner had he spoken than Yu Lin snorted with derision before Cen An could respond. ”What a joke! Seeing how you, Deputy Captain Shi Long, brought your men right to our doorstep demanding wind-cold fruit, someone unaware might think you’re here to rob us. What’s this? Has the Ability Squad fallen on hard times? Turning to banditry now?”

Cen An glanced over, somewhat surprised. He’d never seen this side of Yu Lin before. In his memory, Yu Lin was resilient and optimistic—give him wings and he’d be a little angel. How could…

Yu Lin caught his gaze and immediately flashed a bright, sunny smile. “Don’t worry, Brother Cen.”

Cen An felt reassured. He really was a little angel.

Across from them, Shi Long remained unflappable despite the retort, but the person beside him snapped: “What nonsense! Our Shi Team is doing this for the villagers! The disaster-stricken villagers have no food or water, and they’re falling ill. How can they survive without wind-cold fruit? If they die, can you take responsibility for that?”

Immediately, others were stirred up behind him. “Exactly! Can you take responsibility for that?”

“Don’t you have any compassion?”

“You’ve got so many Wind-Cold Fruits in your hands—what’s the harm in giving a few…”

“Hold on,” Tian Yuan flashed a bright smile, his eyes devoid of warmth. “We’re all disaster victims here. I’m suffering too. Brother Cen even took me in. I’m grateful beyond words—why would I pressure him for wind-cold fruit? You keep saying you’re helping the villagers, but why isn’t a single villager here? It’s all you Ability Squad members!”

“Oh, I get it!” He dramatically slapped his forehead. “You’re trying to be middlemen, aren’t you? Steal Brother Cen’s wind-cold fruits to sell them yourselves?”

“You!” The Ability Squad members were furious, all turning to Shi Long. “Team Leader Shi, I don’t think they ever intended to hand over the wind-cold fruits to us!”

“Exactly! They’re all newcomers! That Yu Fei arrived three years ago, the dark-faced one came last year, and that Cen An fellow just showed up this year! They’re not on our side at all!”

Cen An listened silently, glancing at Tian Yuan. So he was an outsider too—but why was he so familiar with Yongning Village’s ability users?

Shi Long heard his men’s indignant outbursts but held his ground. He turned to Yu Fei. “What do you say, sir?”

Yu Fei was an enigma. Despite his long presence in the village, no one knew his abilities or rank. But Shi Long had his ways of finding out. He knew this man was far beyond a mere Level 3. Among all present, Yu Fei was the one he feared most…

Cen An also looked over curiously. Yu Fei had maintained a deadpan expression since earlier, not uttering a single word, as if he weren’t even there.

The hoarse voice finally spoke, but it was directed at Cen An. “Kill them all?”

Cen An froze, realizing Yu Fei was addressing him. “…Huh?”

Beside Shi Long, the man who’d been ranting incessantly suddenly snapped to attention, horrified. “You! Cen An! You heartless bastard! We only wanted a few Wind-cold Fruits! You actually tried to kill us? Just you wait—”

Before he could finish, a strange aura suddenly enveloped him. It felt like air drilling into his skull, or something violently scrambling his brain. With a piercing scream, he collapsed unconscious.

Shi Long’s eyelid twitched violently. “Psychic…”

This Yu Fei was a rare awakened! And the most unpredictable type—a psychic!

The men he’d brought with him fell into panic. A psychic? They’d heard of them, but never seen one in their lives!

They’d heard that ability users could take lives silently. Glancing at the man sprawled on the ground, their fevered minds cooled. Had they made a mistake coming here today?

Yu Fei’s tone remained unchanged as he asked again, “Kill them all?”

Cen An, finally snapping out of it, stammered, “No, no, don’t kill them all… I mean, don’t kill any of them.”

Yu Fei hummed in acknowledgment and closed his eyes once more.

Shi Long exhaled in relief. He sensed something in Yu Fei’s demeanor and turned to Cen An. “Mr. Cen, we genuinely came seeking medicine.”

Cen An smiled. “So Captain Shi knows how to speak politely after all.”

Shi Long’s expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn’t heard the sarcasm. His face calm, he said, ” Earlier, everyone was anxious about the villagers and got a bit carried away. Please forgive us.“

Seeing him digging his own grave at a time like this, Cen An’s distaste for this man reached its peak.

He said, ”Wind-cold Fruit? I don’t have a single one left. However, I do still have some medicine for treating windchill. It’s not as effective as Wind-cold Fruit, but it can certainly save a life. Captain Shi, what will you offer in exchange?“

Shi Long frowned. ”Exchange?“

Cen An smiled. ”I lack the heart to protect the villagers, but Captain Shi surely possesses it. I cannot sacrifice everything for them, but Captain Shi undoubtedly can. You are entirely capable of taking the medicine from me and giving it to the villagers. That is precisely why I ask: what will you offer me in exchange?”

As soon as he finished speaking, two bursts of laughter echoed. Tian Yuan and Yu Lin both chuckled, with Tian Yuan even giving him a thumbs-up.

Cen An shot them a helpless glance. Did these people really think he was a pushover?

While the laughter rang out cheerfully, Shi Long’s expression darkened. Deep down, he knew that continuing this dispute now would only lead to trouble.

If only he’d left the moment he saw Yu Fei!

Now he couldn’t win a fight, and Cen An had successfully baited him into this!

Finally, he signaled to his men. “Get Mr. Cen three hundred crystal cores.”

“Captain Shi is so generous,” Cen An chuckled. “I trust these three hundred crystal cores come from Captain Shi’s personal funds, not the squad’s public budget, right?”

Shi Long’s eyelid twitched violently. “Of course.”

He dug his right thumb hard into his index finger, suppressing his rage as he turned back. “Let’s go!” he snapped.

They’d arrived in a storm of bravado and departed in disarray, leaving Cen An with nothing but three hundred crystal cores.

What was the point of this trip in the pouring rain?

Cen An shook his head and went to close the door. The bolt on the wooden door had snapped for some reason. He picked up a piece of wood, intending to whittle a new one.

Behind him, Yu Lin murmured, “Any idea who it might be?”

Tian Yuan shook his head. “Shi Long is the most suspicious, but if it really was him, he wouldn’t have come forward so soon.”

Yu Lin agreed.

Yu Fei suddenly spoke up, “His psychic power… something’s off.”

Tian Yuan froze. “What?”

Yu Lin explained softly, “Brother means Shi Long’s psychic power feels wrong.”

Tian Yuan frowned. “Ability users rely on psychic energy to activate their powers. Is his ability malfunctioning?”

No one knew for sure. As the deputy leader of the ability squad, Shi Long handled internal affairs and rarely left the village. It had been ages since anyone saw him use his abilities.

After a moment of silence, Yu Lin remarked listlessly, “The Gloomy Rain Period is almost over. Wonder if there’ll be another one.”

Cen An, who had just returned after closing the door, overheard this. “Another one?”

“Oh, we were discussing what to eat next,” Yu Lin winked at him. “I love everything Brother Cen cooks!”

“Grilled fish for lunch.” Cen An genuinely smiled, then turned to Xiao Yi, who’d remained silent. “Xiao Yi, would you help me chop the side dishes?”

Xiao Yi’s eyes lit up. “Sure!”

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Shi Long led his men back to the house under his watch. Despite the downpour, the building was now surrounded.

Shi Long frowned. Stepping closer, he recognized Qu Yue and Wang Lie standing there with their men. “What are you doing? Abandoning your posts?”

Wang Lie cringed, still wary of him, but Qu Yue didn’t budge an inch. “Team Leader Shi, what are you doing here? Abandoning your post, too?”

Shi Long’s frown deepened. ”Do I need to report my actions to you now?“

Qu Yue stared intently at him. ”Team Leader Shi, I’ve already questioned the villagers inside. They said you went to Cen An to get wind-cold fruit. As far as I know, the villagers under your care aren’t suffering from many illnesses, and serious cases are even rarer. They have more than enough wind-cold fruit. Why the rush to see Cen An? Are you after the fruit, or are you targeting him?“

Shi Long finally couldn’t hold back his anger and shouted, “What? You still want to lay a hand on me?“ His thumb instinctively dug into his index finger, leaving a deep red mark. ”Don’t forget who recruited you into the Special Abilities Squad in the first place!“

Qu Yue, who was usually quick to anger, didn’t flare up this time. She just looked at him deeply. ”Cen An is my brother. He saved my life. I’ve said it before: mess with him, and you’re messing with me and Old Zhao. If you can’t stand it, fire me. I won’t complain!”

With that, she turned and walked away. Behind her, Zhao Wu smiled at his brothers across the way, then jogged to catch up with his wife, helping her tighten her raincoat.

Wang Lie scratched his head. He, too, had been recruited by Shi Long and still harbored a childlike affection for him. “Team Leader Shi Long, I don’t understand why you’re targeting Brother Cen today. Is it really just over a few wind-cold fruits? Since he came to Yongning Village, he hasn’t done anything harmful to the village—he’s actually helped out a lot. His vegetables… Never mind. Anyway, you should investigate properly before making any decisions.”

He, too, led his men away, leaving only Shi Long’s own people behind in the rain.

Finally, he rubbed his temples and instructed those beside him, “Go. Find a way to get me a few of the vegetables Cen An sells.”

His subordinate took the order and departed.

Shi Long lifted his foot to leave, but his body swayed. He rubbed his chest, his expression darkening as he pushed past his men and entered the house.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

In the small shack, Cen An quickly received the crystal cores delivered by Shi Long’s men. With 300 crystal cores in hand, his personal stash more than doubled, reaching a staggering 504 crystal cores!

Once the Gloomy Rain Period passed, selling his newly harvested vegetables would buy him several plots of land!

As for the medicine for Shi Long, he hadn’t skimped. He produced a bottle of recovery potion, pouring it into a wooden tub to dilute it. The potion could dispel negative conditions, and diluted, it would easily cure a cold.

The visitor left carrying the water bucket. Cen An immediately beckoned, “Come on, let’s grill some fish.”

Though none had tried it before, cheers erupted instantly.

The large fish had marinated all morning in the wooden basin, soaking up the flavors.

The wok heated up, a lethal amount of lard splattering as the fish tail was slowly lowered in. Sizzle—

Rich aromas swirled up from the wok, filling the entire shabby hut.

They say lard isn’t healthy, but when it comes to aroma, nothing beats lard!

Everyone present swallowed hard.

Once the fish skin was crispy and golden, Cen An methodically added seasonings, tossed in the chopped accompaniments, and covered the pan. Over low heat, the oil and sauce bubbled and simmered.

Tian Yuan, who had fully taken over the mortar, peered in. “Brother Cen, rice or noodles for lunch today?”

“Grilled fish goes better with rice,” Cen An pondered.

Tian Yuan expertly scooped several portions of rice to pound.

Freshly pounded rice—its fragrance was beyond description.

Half an hour later, the small shack echoed with the call: “Dinner’s ready!”

The large fish, split in half, was served on a big wooden platter, dripping with sauce and broth. Beneath it lay cooked ground fruit, cassava, and white radish. As the broth flowed over, the vegetables took on a vibrant red oil sheen.

Several pairs of chopsticks darted down simultaneously, each person heading straight for their desired piece—

Cen An picked up a large chunk of fish, dipped it lightly in the broth, then popped it into his mouth.

The skin was crispy and charred, while the flesh remained tender and succulent. With each bite, the rich sauce filled his mouth… savory, fragrant, and fiery!

Surprisingly, the fish had no fishy taste at all, and there were very few bones. After a few bites, he simply scooped up the sauce with a spoon and poured it over his rice—fish broth mixed with rice!

The vegetables underneath were delicious too. Tian Yuan, probably having eaten too much meat lately, picked only the vegetables to eat, earning him a round of teasing from Yu Lin.

Even Xiao Yi, no longer timid like yesterday, polished off a full bowl of rice.

After finishing their meal, Cen An brewed a pot of mint tea to cut through the richness.

The mint leaves were leftovers from a previous harvest, dried and stored by him. They were perfect for cutting through the greasy, fishy taste of the grilled fish.

Xiao Yi had never tasted mint tea before. He took a sip and instantly widened his eyes. “It’s sweet…”

Cen An smiled and ruffled his hair. “I added some sugar, just in case you didn’t like it.”

Xiao Yi stared at him blankly, then quickly lowered his head for another sip. If only he were my real brother, the little boy thought.

Later, if I catch any fish, I’ll bring them to him, too. He seems to really like fish…

The seventh day of the Gloomy Rain Period passed like this.

On the eighth day, the rain didn’t intensify, but the temperature dropped further.

Puddles froze into thick ice, turning the mud into rock-hard slabs that could easily send someone tumbling. Not that anyone wanted to venture out in this weather anyway.

Cen An tossed the chopped-up bamboo bed into the hearth. The roaring flames filled the small hut with surprising warmth, almost enough to make one sweat.

Even Yu Lin wore only a thin coat, leaning back against his stool. He hadn’t felt this comfortable in a long time.

Tian Yuan went so far as to shed his outer robe, rolling up both sleeves high as he enthusiastically chopped pork.

Today, the family would have minced pork noodles.

The remaining seven or eight pounds of young pig meat were chopped into fine mince. The rehydrated mushrooms were also finely chopped. They were stir-fried in ample oil until cooked, seasoned with soy sauce and a pinch of sugar. Just before serving, a sprinkle of bright green chopped scallions was added. The mixture was then poured over freshly made noodles…

The aroma alone could knock you off your feet.

It was delicious, of course, especially on a bitterly cold day—a perfect match for the meat sauce noodles.

But Cen An never imagined this group would even finish the noodle broth. That was two huge pots of soup!

He couldn’t shake the feeling that whenever these folks moved, you could hear water sloshing in their stomachs…

During the meal, Li Wei dropped by to deliver empty barrels to Cen An.

Cen An opened the door. Li Wei entered with a somber look. “Brother Cen, thanks for the medicine. The villagers say it works wonders.”

Cen An took the wooden bucket. “No problem. Just business as usual.”

Li Wei looked even more dejected, stealing a glance at him. “Brother Cen, I… sigh, I’m sorry. I really didn’t know what they were here for yesterday. At the time, Jiang Ming… oh, the guy next to Team Leader Shi—he told us they were just coming to check on you. I thought it was a routine village inspection…“

Cen An didn’t hold any ill will toward him, so he offered a reassuring word. ”It’s fine. I didn’t suffer any real loss.”

Li Wei choked on his words. True enough—all the losses had fallen on Team Leader Shi…

Recalling Team Leader Shi, Li Wei’s expression sank further. He ran a hand through his hair. “Team Leader Shi… sigh, he really wasn’t like this before.”

He seemed to emphasize something. “Really, Squad Leader Shi used to be such a good person. Me, Sister Qu, and all of us—he recruited us all. Back then, the Yongning Ability Squad was founded by him and Squad Leader Liao together. Squad Leader Liao was like our father, and Squad Leader Shi was our mother. Whatever we needed, Squad Leader Shi handled it. Really, he took care of everything. When we were short on money or needed to marry, he was the one who worried about it!”

He sniffed back tears. “But at some point, Team Leader Shi just… changed. How could he… how could he force you…”

Li Wei couldn’t bring himself to say it. Calling it ‘forcing’ was putting it nicely. The harsh truth? It was outright robbery.

Cen An, the victim himself, seemed surprisingly detached. “People change, I guess,” he said, his voice flat.

Li Wei forced a smile. “True.”

After a pause, he added, “He knows I know you. So he sent me here not just to return the wooden tub, but to find out what other medicines you have, and about your vegetables… Brother Cen, I think Team Leader Shi has his eye on you. You should be careful from now on. I’ll be going.”

Cen An hadn’t expected that. “And you? Are you okay with this?”

“Not worried,” Li Wei waved dismissively, smiling. “I plan to seek refuge with Sister Qu. She said since you’re her own brother, if I come to her, she can’t bully you.”

Cen An watched his retreating figure and smiled too.

But then his brow furrowed slightly. Shi Long was targeting him—that much was undeniable.

But why?

If he wanted the medicine, wouldn’t sneaky methods be easier?

If he wanted to uncover secrets about him, there was no need to be so blatant…

Inside the house, Yu Lin and Tian Yuan exchanged glances.

Regardless of Shi Long’s motives for targeting Cen An, the crucial point was that Shi Long gained nothing from it.

Take yesterday’s incident of demanding the Wind-Cold Fruit—even if Cen An had handed it over, what then? Shi Long had obtained the fruit in front of so many people; he’d have to give it back to the villagers upon returning.

After playing such a villain, was he really just trying to get medicine for the villagers?

The logic didn’t hold.

Fortunately, now the enemy was out in the open, and so were they. They could meet force with force. Each of them had their own support; they weren’t afraid at all.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Night fell quickly.

In the dead of night, rustling sounds echoed from outside.

Yu Fei, Tian Yuan, and Yu Lin opened their eyes simultaneously.

The fire pit’s light flickered erratically. Yu Fei and Tian Yuan rose silently, opening the door to step outside.

Yu Lin flickered his wrist, sending a seed flying. It landed beside the bamboo cot, silently sprouting into a meter-tall strangler vine.

Long tendrils coiled like a cage around the sleeping Cen An, enveloping him completely.

Sensing the wood-element ability, the Piranha plant shook its head, signaling it could protect its master, too!

Silent combat erupted in the night, causing the wooden window to rattle faintly.

A palm-sized centipede crawled through the window crack, instantly twisted by the strangler vine, wrung into a pretzel, and tossed into the Piranha plant’s gaping maw.

Piranha plant: ???

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Yu Lin propped his head up with one hand, feeling the faint, stinging ache of the curse. Bored, he wondered, is today the insect swarm? That’s pretty disgusting. He loves cleanliness so much, he definitely wouldn’t like insects…

Moments later, the door opened again. Yu Fei and Tian Yuan entered, dripping wet. Tian Yuan flashed him a thumbs-up, signaling: Third batch.

Yu Lin nodded. With another flick of his wrist, the Strangling Vine shrank inch by inch, transforming into a seed that bounced back into his hand.

Shrinking wood into seeds—the hallmark of a Level 4 ability user.

The three lay down to sleep once more. In the quiet night, it seemed as if nothing had ever happened. Cen An slept soundly, while Xiao Yi, who had been lying on the edge of the bed, opened his eyes for a moment before closing them again.

The Strangling Vine had been right above his head just moments ago, yet the child hadn’t stirred at all.

And so, the eighth day of the Gloomy Rain Period arrived, and passed peacefully once more.

On the ninth day at dawn, while everyone was eating breakfast, a sound drifted in from outside.

The sound was ancient and desolate, somewhat like a bronze gong, yet deeper and more muffled, carrying an inexplicable sense of desolation.

Tian Yuan suddenly said, “It’s the Death Call. Someone has passed away.”

The deceased wasn’t a member of the Ability Squad, but rather a villager living in a perfectly sound house. Some people simply didn’t have enough wood, food, or medicine. When disaster struck, they were the first to be eliminated.

Noticing Cen An’s troubled expression, he said, “Many people die every year during the Gloomy Rain Period. With your wind-cold fruits this year, we’ve only had one death so far. That’s already quite good.”

Cen An nodded slowly. “Yes, it is good.”

He only realized once more how profoundly he was now in an environment harsher than the orphanage. A single unpredictable downpour, a sudden plunge in temperature—either could take his life.

If this were the case now, would the coming winters and summers be any easier?

A chill gripped his heart. After the rainy season ended, he would have to work even harder.

The farm absolutely had to be upgraded. Reaching Level 2 unlocked the map feature—future upgrades would surely bring more benefits.

On the tenth day of the Gloomy Rain Period, the Raindrop Essence Cup finally filled. Cen An collected the Raindrop Essence, leaving the cup outside.

A normal Gloomy Rain Period lasted only ten days. After that, the rain could stop any day.

Hope blossomed in the hearts of the entire village.

The eleventh day passed without a break…

The twelfth day, still no end…

The thirteenth, the fourteenth…

On the morning of the fifteenth day, Cen An opened his eyes to his biological clock and suddenly sensed something was amiss.

After a moment, he realized it: the sound of rain that had filled his ears for over ten days had vanished!

He rolled over and opened the window, seeing the blue sky he hadn’t seen in ages.

The rain had stopped!