Chapter Bonanza (7/10)

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The forest area of Mulberry Island could truly be described as “danger at every turn .”

Vines obscured the sky, weaving together into a massive net that shrouded the forest. Their dangling tips appeared harmless, but some were poisonous, some could bite, and some would even suddenly dart out when an animal approached, coiling around their prey like snakes.

Nan Liujing watched helplessly as a rabbit had every bone in its body snapped by a dark-green vine, only to be swept into the bud of a carnivorous flower.

The vines and other plants in this forest share a symbiotic relationship.

There are no particularly tall trees in the forest, but many grasses and other plants can grow to half a person’s height; the vines capture prey, feed the other plants, and in turn draw nutrients from them.

Six hours had passed since he arrived on the island. Nan Liujing had been exploring, traveling, and scavenging nonstop; he was exhausted, thirsty, and hungry. His body was screaming for food and water; the gas mask had made his head and face drenched in sweat, and he desperately wanted to take it off to catch his breath.

But that was impossible—the little white flowers he’d previously sold to Zhang Zihan were everywhere in this forest.

Those delicate, fragile little flowers timidly unfurled their petals; when the wind blew against their pale yellow stamens, terrifying pollen scattered everywhere. If it weren’t for the gas mask, Nan Liujing wouldn’t have dared to venture in.

Every few steps, he’d see little birds and squirrels lying on the ground, paralyzed after being ambushed by the pollen.

Nan Liujing didn’t dare pick them up, afraid that if he took them back for Nian Gao and Hei Tang to eat, the two of them would get poisoned too.

In the end, these unfortunate little animals were all dragged away by vines.

There were also vines that tried to attack Nan Liujing, but thanks to the pendant heating up as a warning, Nan Liujing was always able to cut the vines in half before they struck.

After surviving the giant desert scorpion, he no longer took these vines seriously.

After walking for about ten minutes, Nan Liujing spotted a tree that appeared to be a magical plant.

The tree was quite short, more like a shrub, wedged between two taller trees, and, in order to catch more sunlight, had spread out horizontally, forming an incredibly wide canopy covered in golden-yellow oval leaves. Golden round fruits were hidden beneath the leaves of the same color, creating a rather deceptive appearance at first glance.

Nan Liujing approached cautiously, casually cutting through a few vines before carefully slicing off a leaf with his sword.

【Golden Leaf】

【Category: Magical Material】

【A leaf from the Blazing Gilded Tree; it has no medicinal value. It is generally used for bouquets or floral arrangements.】

【Suggested Price: 2 Sol. 】

【Condition: Fresh】

It really is a magical plant—and a relatively harmless one at that.

He tossed aside the leaf and plucked a fruit. It was similar in size and shape to a Maltesers, hard to the touch like a small golden bead, and radiated a warm heat in his hand.

【Gilded Fruit】

【Category: Magical Material】

【The fruit of the Blazing Gilded Tree, rich in fire-elemental magic, warms the touch upon contact, and is one of the raw materials used in the creation of life potions.】

【Suggested Price: 20 Sol.】

【Condition: Fresh.】

10 gilded fruits make up 1 unit, consuming 0.5 Stamina points, and the price comes to 200 Sol.

Nan Liujing glanced at the Blazing Gilded Tree before him; its branches were laden with countless fruits; after a quick calculation, he realized this was a profitable venture.

He hadn’t consumed a single point of stamina while digging a foot into the ground in Mulberry Village; he’d only spent 15 points picking the little white flowers, so he still had 135 stamina points left to use.

In this game’s setting, only activities involving gathering or physical labor consume stamina; picking up a bowl or carrying a quilt from one’s own or someone else’s home does not consume stamina.

Before long, Nan Liujing had swept away all the ripe gilded fruits from this tree, harvesting 43 gilded fruits.

Continuing onward, he came across two more plants with bright green stems. They looked somewhat like bamboo, but they didn’t grow branches or leaves, nor did their stems have the segmented joints typical of bamboo.

He made a small slit with his sword, and a pale green sap began to flow out, giving off a faintly sweet scent that immediately attracted several small insects.

Nan Liujing quickly took a bowl off the trading platform to catch it.

【Woodheart Sweet Sap】

【Category: Magical Material】

【The sap found inside the stems of wand grass; its sweet taste is loved by many insects. It is often used to adjust the flavor of potions, with virtually no effect on the potion’s properties.】

【Suggested Price: 100 Sol.】

【Condition: Fresh】

One Wand Grass plant yields 100 ml of sap, exactly 1 unit.

Nan Liujing put the cup filled with Woodheart Sweet Sap back on the shelf. By then, the wound he had cut into the Wand Grass stem was already swarming with insects, and a slender vine, drawn to the commotion, poked its head out, eager to pounce on the insects.

Nan Liujing quickly walked away.

Victor hadn’t lied; the forest areas of Mulberry Island were indeed rich in resources. Every few steps, he’d come across one or two magical plants. On the other hand, the mulberry trees—once so numerous they’d given the island its name—were nowhere to be found. Nan Liujing had walked for two hours without seeing a single one; he wondered if they might have gone extinct.

With an hour and a half left before the exploration period ended, Nan Liujing followed the faint sound of running water and found a stream. The clear water flowed gently, and many small, translucent silver-white fish swam in schools, swimming upstream, their backs rising and falling in succession like a billowing silk ribbon, with moonlight glistening on their scales.

Several animals were waiting by the stream for a buffet. Upon seeing an unfamiliar biped approach, they didn’t cause any commotion; on the contrary, because Nan Liujing was so large, a fox and a bobcat shifted slightly and took a few steps to the side, making room for him.

“……” Oh my, such hospitality is hard to refuse—how could he possibly accept it?

A few seconds later, Nan Liujing pulled out a tattered bedsheet.

He’d snagged this bedsheet from a Mulberry Village dwelling; it was particularly badly chewed by insects, covered in holes the size of sesame seeds. At first glance, one might have thought it was some kind of unique weaving technique. Nan Liujing had planned to take it back to use as a rag, but now it seemed it could serve as a makeshift fishing net for the time being.

He flung the sheet into the water; it spread out like a giant jellyfish, taking up most of the stream. All the animals turned to look at him—how could this newcomer, a two-legged creature, not know the rules? He should just catch the fish right in front of him to eat; why take up space meant for other animals?

Right then and there, several of them bared their teeth.

Fortunately, just then, a new batch of upstream-swimming fry arrived. The animals instantly forgot about Nan Liujing, and one by one, they buried their heads to snatch up the fish.

Some scooped them up with their paws, others nudged them with their snouts, and some even used their tails to “fish”—each employing their own unique tricks.

A few young ones trailed behind their elders, unable to help but get into mischief; every now and then, they’d slip and fall into the water, scaring away a school of fish. After climbing back up, soaking wet, they’d have to endure a good slap on the ear from their elders.

In just five minutes, the school of small fish had been scared away.

Nan Liujing gathered up the bedsheets; the fishing net he’d fashioned from them was virtually foolproof—as long as the fish were within the sheet’s coverage, not a single one could escape.

A large bundle of bedsheets bulged with fish; when he dropped it on the ground, a heap of lively, wriggling little silver fish spilled out.

【Moonlight fish】

【Classification: Magical Creature, Food】

【A small fish resembling moonlight, found only in streams rich in magical elements. During the annual breeding season, they swim upstream to return to the pools where they were born to mate, spawn, and die. Moonlight Fish are at their most delicious during this period.】

【Suggested Price: 150 Sol.】

【Condition: Fresh】

This bundle alone contained 34 units of moonlight fish. Nan Liujing whistled—making money like this was practically a windfall!

Just as he was about to cast his net again, he looked up to find all the animals glaring at him menacingly. Nan Liujing weighed the combat strength on both sides; if so many animals charged at him all at once, he certainly wouldn’t be able to handle it, so he reluctantly packed up his gear.

Crossing the stream and continuing his exploration, he finally discovered traces of the Mind-Confusing Flower on an oak tree.

Just as Victor had said, the Mind-Confusing Flower was indeed a highly deceptive magical plant. It parasitized on the oak tree, bearing small white fruits that looked exactly like mistletoe. Only upon closer inspection could one see that what looked like berries were actually curled-up petals.

Five small flowers grew on a single Mind-Confusing Vine; Nan Liujing picked them and stowed them in his backpack.

【Mind-Confusing Flower】

【Category: Magical Material】

【Flowers that grow on the Mind-Confusing Vine adapt their appearance to their surroundings to conceal themselves and deceive predators. The pollen of the Mind-Confusing Flower induces hallucinations in animals; only intense pain can snap them back to their senses.】

【Suggested Retail Price: 2,000 Sol.】

【Condition: Fresh】

After wandering around a bit, he discovered two more Mind-Confusing Vines disguised as dodder and ivy, bringing his total harvest to 17 Mind-Confusing Flowers.

By now, only a final streak of fiery sunset remained on the horizon; the exploration period was about to end, so Nan Liujing hurried back.

First, he headed to the desert area to pick up Hei Tang. The cat had dug the desert to the ground, and the colorful gems it had collected were piled up like a small mountain.

Nan Liujing picked up the cat, packed away the gems, and ran as fast as he could toward the dock.

During this time, Victor had already made a trip to Olive Island to retrieve the boat and return, and now two boats were moored side by side at the dock: Victor’s *Windwalker* and Nan Liujing’s small wooden boat.

Victor had set up a lounge chair and a beach umbrella on the sand; he was reclining there, sipping coconut juice, looking so relaxed it was infuriating.

“You’re back? Perfect timing.” Hearing footsteps, Victor straightened up slightly and pulled his sunglasses down a bit—he was actually wearing sunglasses?! He scanned Nan Liujing from head to toe, paused for a moment, then asked, “…Performance art?”

Nan Liujing, covered in the blood of the Desert Giant Scorpion and caked in sand and dirt, chuckled and banged out a pile of wine barrels: “Enough chit-chat. Settle the bill!”

……

……

“25 barrels of one-star mulberry wine at 5,000 Sol each, 12 barrels of two-star mulberry wine at 7,000 Sol each, 4 barrels of three-star at 9,000 Sol each, 30 barrels of four-star at 11,000 Sol each, and five-star…” Victor glanced at Nan Liujing, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, fully armed and pouring wine into bottles, and said helplessly, “Aren’t you going to take off your mask?”

“It’s not like I’m in a hurry,” Nan Liujing said in a deep, booming voice, his hands moving at lightning speed as he poured the wine.

The barrels in the Mulberry Village distillery each had their own spigots, making bottling a breeze. All you had to do was hold an empty bottle under the spigot to fill it, then take it away, pop in an oak cork, and a bottle of five-star mulberry wine priced at 800 Sol was ready.

Hei Tang stood nearby, still wearing her little mask and goggles, poking at an empty wine bottle with her paws, her eyes darting about.

Victor watched for a moment, sighed helplessly, and walked over to help him fill the bottles.

By now, he had already left Mulberry Island, and Nan Liujing stowed away his shabby small wooden boat. They both boarded Victor’s *Windrunner* to return.

The *Windrunner*’s foredeck was spacious, giving Nan Liujing the opportunity to earn a premium by repackaging the goods before sale.

Working together, the two finally finished bottling 400 bottles of Five-Star mulberry wine. With four barrels of Five-Star mulberry wine remaining, he sold those to Victor as well.

The wine alone netted Nan Liujing 947,000 Sol.

It was nothing short of striking it rich overnight.

On top of that, he sold 4 Giant Scorpion Carapaces and 1 Giant Scorpion Tail Hook for another 2,200 Sol.

Then there were the various gems Nan Liujing found in Mulberry Village, as well as those Hei Tang dug up in the desert—a total of 11 moonstones, 3 topazes, 5 peridots, 9 desert rose stones, 1 spinel, and 4 agates.

Victor took out a magnifying glass that could be worn over the eye and inspected the quality of each gem one by one, nodding and saying, “The quality is all quite good. The moonstone is worth 1,800, the topaz 3,200, the peridot 4,100, the desert rose stone 2,400, the spinel 6,210, and the agate 1,200. Is this price acceptable to you?”

His figures matched the suggested retail prices listed in the item descriptions exactly. Nan Liujing had no objections; after all, Victor’s offers were always quite generous: “Alright.”

“Then… 82,510 Sol.” Victor paused briefly before stating the amount outright.

Nan Liujing quickly ran the numbers in his head, and after confirming they were correct, he gave a soft “Mm-hmm”: “There’s more.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a large pile of magical ingredients.

In addition to the Mind-Confusing Flower that Victor had specifically requested, there were also 8 Woodheart Sweet Sap, 11 Wand Grass, and 21 Cotton Cloud Flowers—all gathered in the forest. When he came to the gilded fruit, Nan Liujing suddenly raised an eyebrow, then finally withdrew his hand: “That’s all.”

Victor whistled in admiration: “You’ve made quite a haul on this trip. So, the recommended Resource Island didn’t disappoint your initial investment, did it?”

Nan Liujing’s face turned slightly green at the thought of the Desert Giant Scorpion, but when he thought of the money he’d soon earn from Victor, he instantly calmed down.

He smiled slightly: “Don’t say that—it’s all thanks to you.”

He couldn’t quite help himself, though, and clenched his teeth as he spoke. 

This pile of magical materials brought Nan Liujing a profit of 40,980 Sol.

All told, the money he’d earned from Victor alone amounted to 1,072,690 Sol—breaking the million mark.

Gold coins poured into the piggy bank, and as Nan Liujing cradled the pink pig, his mood instantly shifted from cloudy to sunny.

By the time Nan Liujing returned to Unknown Island, it was almost 9 o’clock.

A large amount of supplies had been left behind on the beach. Nian Gao was sticking its butt out, trying to push a wooden crate onto the shore. All four of its paws were soaked through and covered in sand, leaving four little indentations in the sand, but it just couldn’t budge the crate.

Frustrated, it let out a series of whimpers.

Nan Liujing’s heart melted. Without waiting for the boat to come to a complete stop, he scrambled over the side, sprinted over, and scooped up the wooden crate.

Nian Gao was startled to see him, but quickly wagged its tail and came bounding over, whimpering, eager for a hug.

Nan Liujing hurriedly stopped it: “Wait a minute, wait a minute! I’m covered in filth—it might even be toxic. Let’s wait a bit before you hug him.”

Victor crouched on the boat, holding one of Hei Tang’s little paws and wiping it with a wet wipe to remove any dirt that might be left on it. After wiping all four paws, he took out a new wipe and wiped Hei Tang’s entire body several times.

Hei Tang shook out her fur and let out an unhappy “meow.”

“All right, you can take off your mask now.” Victor helped Hei Tang remove her goggles and gas mask, wiped both items clean, and handed them to her, saying, “Here, take them in your mouth.”

Hei Tang shot him a glance, reluctantly grabbed the straps in her mouth, and leaped off the boat.

Just then, Nan Liujing ran back to the boat and pulled the pendant from his chest: “I almost forgot—here, this is yours.”

With that, he dashed off again.

High tide was about to roll in, and he had to hurry and gather all the supplies on the beach before then—there was no time for small talk.

Victor looked down at the pendant. The ruby, once flawless, now had several cracks, and the pendant still retained the young man’s body heat.

The Windrunner sailed away. Nan Liujing narrowly managed to gather the last plastic bag before the tide came in, racing back to shore just as the waves began to roll in.

Clean and tidy, Hei Tang herded Nian Gao into the slime ranch. The little fox cub was completely confused, howling “Awoo, awoo” as it tried to snuggle up to its owner, only to see that its owner didn’t even acknowledge it and just stormed headlong into the farmhouse.

Nian Gao let out a heart-wrenching, blood-curdling scream.

Hei Tang twitched her ears and swatted the cub with a sharp swipe of her paw.

“You’re so noisy, you stupid fox! Can’t you see he’s all dirty!” She went back to grooming herself. “Why are you butting in?”

“Stop licking all over the place—you’ll pick up something nasty.”

Amid Nian Gao’s heart-wrenching cries, Nan Liujing dashed into the bathroom to take a shower. Fortunately, there was still a bit of magic left in the magic crystal Victor had left behind, so he didn’t get frostbite.

Besides, Nan Liujing was very superstitious and believed that a hot shower was the only way to get truly clean.

He took off his goggles and helmet, kicked off his short boots, stripped off all his clothes, grabbed the showerhead, and gave himself a thorough rinse.

Although leather short boots aren’t meant to be washed with water—there’s a risk of damaging the leather— he didn’t care at that moment; removing any pollen that might be clinging to them was more important.

After scrubbing himself thoroughly once more, Nan Liujing took out the plant ash he’d collected in Mulberry Village, mixed it with water, and let it settle. He then skimmed off the clear liquid from the top, using part of it to soak his clothes and the rest to sprinkle on the floor and everywhere else he’d walked, hoping it would have some antibacterial and disinfecting effect.

After opening the doors and windows to thoroughly ventilate the room, Nan Liujing finally stepped outside with his hair still dripping wet to comfort the neglected little fox.

Nian Gao rushed straight into his arms, its whimpers so full of hurt they could have made your heart ache.

Nan Liujing hugged it and rubbed it gently: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to ignore you on purpose. I just got really dirty, and I might have picked up a lot of dangerous pollen. I was afraid it would get on you.”

Nan Liujing cupped Nian Gao’s tear-streaked little face and rubbed it gently: “Forgive me, please. Will you forgive me? I brought you a present!”

“Eep?”

Nian Gao tilted his head.

Nan Liujing smiled as he pulled two lively little mice out of his backpack. Instantly, both little creatures turned their eyes toward him.

“Eek!” Nian Gao was startled at first, but the mice’s squeaking immediately triggered his fox instincts; his ears perked up, and he darted nimbly toward the sound.

Hei Tang narrowed her eyes, and her paws emerged from her paw pads.

“Go!” Nan Liujing flicked his wrist, flinging the two little mice away, and Nian Gao and Hei Tang dashed off at the same time.

Nan Liujing continued sorting through the items he’d temporarily placed in the trading area.

He dumped the vines he’d cut, the withered mulberry leaves, the dried mulberries, and the bodies of silkworm moths and silkworms all into the compost bin at once. He set aside a pile of silkworm cocoons and insect eggs in a box for the time being, planning to find buyers for them at the trading area tomorrow.

The clothes, bedding, and kitchenware he’d previously listed in the trading area had already been sold off one by one. Aside from the wooden planks and iron nails, Nan Liujing had traded all the basic materials he’d received in exchange for crop seeds, practically sweeping up every reasonably priced seed on the market.

Nan Liujing didn’t buy any seeds priced higher than 1 basic material per seed. Although he’d suddenly come into a fortune, he wasn’t about to be taken for a ride.

Surprisingly, someone even inquired about the glasses he’d taken from the young couple’s nightstand. The person explained that his own glasses had accidentally shattered, forcing him to go around practically blind for several days. He wanted to try on this pair to see if the prescription was a good fit; if so, he’d be willing to trade 10 wooden planks for them.

Nan Liujing agreed half-heartedly—after all, he wasn’t nearsighted himself.

After trying them on, the other party was overjoyed and sent over 10 wooden planks.

The 99 bales of hay, 92 bundles of hay, and 67 rapeseed cakes collected from Mulberry Village were delivered directly to the animal shed, stored on the roof beams for easy access whenever needed.

He placed the shower gel and other bathroom supplies in the bathroom. Nan Liujing casually opened two laundry detergent pods and tossed them into the sink, where dirty clothes were soaking in a solution of wood ash.

A quick soak to loosen the stains would make them much easier to wash later.

The short boots shouldn’t soak for too long; he took them out, gave them a quick scrub, and hung them up to dry overnight.

Taking advantage of this opportunity to organize and sort through his belongings, Nan Liujing also took the time to reorganize the five-drawer chest.

He emptied the top drawer completely, reserving it exclusively for storing spices and various seasonings such as rock sugar, salt, and ground pepper.

The second drawer was reserved for cups, plates, bowls, and cutlery, with a few pots that wouldn’t fit on the mantel interspersed among them.

The third drawer holds the preserved foods he makes, such as canned goods, pickles, and jams.

The fourth drawer holds seeds. Since seeds are small and come in wide varieties, storing them in the storage room would be a waste of space; a single drawer can hold a large number of them, and the remaining space can accommodate Nian Gao, pet cookies, and other snacks.

The fifth drawer is for all sorts of odds and ends. Things like flashlights, lighters, umbrellas, and hammers—Nan Liujing couldn’t find anywhere else to put these small items, so he just put them all here.

After organizing the chest of drawers, Nan Liujing took a couple of steps back, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and let out a sigh of relief.

Organizing and tidying up is no trivial task, but it’s a classic example of a chore that’s troublesome to do but convenient afterward. Seeing every drawer of the five-drawer chest looking neat and orderly also satisfied Nan Liujing’s own OCD.

Then it was time for the wardrobe.

Before that, Nan Liujing first put away the bed he’d lent to Victor, then hung the quilts, pillows, and mattress he’d collected today outside. The weather had been clear and sunny for the past few days, so if he let these items air out for a few days to get rid of the musty smell, they’d be ready to use.

He took out the pet supplies he’d acquired from Mulberry Village, gave them a thorough wash and disinfected them, then set them up: the cat tree went in the northwest corner, with a scratching post placed right next to it.

He placed a floor mat by the door, against the wall, and set a dog bowl from someone else’s home on top of it. Who knows how many pets that household had kept before—the dog bowl was as big as a chicken feeder, rectangular in shape, and spacious enough for four kittens and puppies to eat together without feeling cramped.

Nan Liujing brought back two bowls—one for food and one for water. Placed on the floor mat, they’d prevent food and water from spilling and dirtying the floor.

There were also 12 large wooden crates brought back from the wine cellar, 6 wooden buckets, 8 wooden crates originally used for empty wine bottles, and 15 empty wine barrels left over after bottling—all temporarily piled outside to be thoroughly cleaned tomorrow.

By then, it was well past midnight. Nian Gao and Hei Tang had both returned after catching mice; they gobbled up the grain in their food bowls and fell asleep, content.

Nan Liujing, shining a flashlight, made his way back to the slime ranch, stumbling along the uneven ground, and poured the 60 barrels of failed mulberry wine into the slime-making machine.

This amount was just enough to make one slime—he had no idea what kind it would turn out to be.

Nan Liujing patted the machine, then returned to the farmhouse to fetch the newspaper.

He hadn’t found the time to read the *Heart of the Rising Sun Daily* delivered this morning, but since he’d already stayed up late today, he might as well stay up and finish it.