The docks on Goldfinch Island are unlike those on other islands.

The makeshift docks donated by the Island Committee look like nothing more than wooden walkways jutting out into the sea from a corner of the island; they can barely accommodate one or two small boats.

The dock on Fresh Fruit Island is slightly larger, but not by much. The docks on Red Soil Island and Mulberry Island have long been abandoned, but they are indeed larger and can accommodate several boats side by side.

The largest is Olive Island, which can accommodate nearly a dozen boats.

But none of these compare to the pier on Goldfinch Island.

The pier on Goldfinch Island isn’t even made of wood—it’s cast in concrete and paved with stone bricks, stretching out in a grand arc around the island for several kilometers, and the number of ships was overwhelming. Not to mention ordinary vessels—there were even a huge number of cruise ships docked there. Nan Liujing’s small wooden boat weaved in and out among the crowd of ships, nearly bringing out the fierce nature of the pirate captain slumbering deep within Jinks’s soul; it was only with great difficulty that they finally found a berth to dock.

Once the small boat came to a stop, Jinks’ belly puffed out; it let out a “quack,” and stood tall on the mast, chest puffed out.

Nan Liujing stumbled a bit as he disembarked, holding his head—he was actually feeling a bit seasick.

Having been out at sea so frequently these past few days, he’d thought he’d gotten over it.

Rubbing his temples and splashing water on his face, Nan Liujing exhaled deeply and looked up.

The flag of Goldfinch City flew high above the dock, fluttering in the wind. On the other side, a flag entirely gold with a small jade-green bird embroidered in the center dazzled anyone who looked at it in the sunlight.

Beneath the golden flag, the pier bustled with people—visitors from out of town who had come for the appreciation banquet, as well as merchants who were scheduled to arrive that day. Many local vendors, sensing a business opportunity, had arrived early in the morning to stake out spots and set up stalls, eventually forming a long line stretching along the pier.

Fresh catches brought back by fishing boats that set out at midnight and returned at dawn; handmade local crafts; wind chimes and ornaments made from conch shells and seashells; exquisite ceramics; and—as they say—feather ornaments produced in Goldfinch City, local snacks…

As soon as out-of-town tourists set foot on shore, before they even had a chance to see what the famous Goldfinch City actually looked like, they were first lured into a consumer trap by the stalls.

As for Goldfinch Island itself, it was even the largest island Nan Liujing had seen since entering the game; whereas on other resource islands, he might still be able to walk from one end to the other within his exploration time, but on Goldfinch Island, that’s absolutely impossible.

Nan Liujing randomly asked a local vendor selling fish at the pier and learned that the straight-line distance from the farthest west to the farthest east of the island was over 100 kilometers.

It would take one or two hours even by car, and considering the complicated road conditions, walking was out of the question.

Nan Liujing immediately gave up on the idea of wandering around and searching on his own, and instead asked politely for directions: “Excuse me, where can I buy a map of the island?”

The vendor kindly pointed him in the right direction: “Head that way, go all the way to the end, and you’ll find a newsstand where they sell them.”

Nan Liujing nodded: “Thank you. By the way, where is the city gate of Goldfinch City? How do I get in?”

“City gate? There isn’t one.” The vendor shook his head. “As for Goldfinch City, you’re already standing inside it.”

If nothing else, Goldfinch City really shouldn’t be this big. Unlike Olive Town, which still has a wild forest of moderate size just outside its borders, Goldfinch City has already developed the entire island to the point of exhaustion.

Looking up past the fluttering golden banners, one could see a beautiful city.

Unlike the banners that practically scream “luxury,” the architectural style of the entire city leans toward a fresh and elegant aesthetic; off-white buildings with pale blue roofs stretch out in rows, resembling the blue skies and white clouds found elsewhere.

As far as the eye can see, there are orderly streets, huge circular plazas, wide, flat roads, neatly arranged green belts, and lush parks.

Not a single trace of a purely natural wilderness environment is to be found.

Nan Liujing could do nothing but buy a map in awe.

The newsstand at the pier made its money almost entirely from out-of-towners like him. The owner picked up a tourist brochure and handed it to Nan Liujing: “100 sol each.”

That’s so expensive!

Nan Liujing held his tongue, said nothing, and silently pulled out his money, still reeling from the shock.

Is this what prices are like in a big city?

Having successfully fleeced a visitor, the owner was in a good mood and struck up a conversation with a smile: “Are you traveling alone?”

Nan Liujing flipped through the brochure: “No, I heard there’s an appreciation banquet for Elizabeth’s wedding today—her fans…” As he spoke, he feigned a choked-up moment and let out a silent, sorrowful sigh.

“Oh my, then you’re a bit early,” said the owner, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall of the newsstand. “The appreciation banquet doesn’t start until 10 a.m. You’re here too early—White Dew Manor won’t let you in yet.” “

Afraid of being late, Nan Liujing had gotten up early without doing any chores and set out just after 6:00 a.m.: “……”

He glanced at the clock too; it was only just past 7:00 a.m.

Since he’d arrived early anyway, there wasn’t much he could do. Nan Liujing picked up the visitor’s guide and discovered that, in addition to a map of Goldfinch City, it contained introductions to various attractions, Goldfinch City’s “Must-Eat List,” “20 Hidden Gem Shops You Absolutely Can’t Miss,” and other promotional materials. Each entry included addresses, photos, operating hours, and descriptions of featured products—it was incredibly detailed.

Some of the items caught his eye.

Since he had time to spare, he decided to check out these hidden gems first.

Following the map, Nan Liujing first found an apothecary called “Crucible and the Hairy Frog,” which was said to be the oldest and most authentic apothecary in Goldfinch City, run by a witch.

The apothecary was tucked away in a deep alley, and the surroundings were a stark contrast to the main streets of Goldfinch City.

The stone-paved road was laid haphazardly, with patches missing here and there; the walls on either side stood very close together, and the narrow alley in between was so cramped that only two people could walk side by side.

There wasn’t exactly a foul odor in the air, but a dampness—its source unknown—lingered constantly. After walking for a few minutes, Nan Liujing felt a dampness in his nostrils and rubbed his nose several times.

Finally, he arrived at the entrance to the Crucible and Hairy Frog Apothecary. Nan Liujing looked up at the building in front of him, comparing it to the photo in his handbook.

Tucked deep within the alley, this shop stood out as distinctly unique. The signboard was dilapidated; half of it had fallen off, yet no one had bothered to fix it, leaving it to dangle and sway at the entrance. Perched on the roof was a massive crucible—as if it had been dropped from the sky—which had crushed half the roof, and the sign looked as if it had been knocked off by that very cauldron.

The door stood wide open, but with virtually no natural light filtering in from the alley, the interior remained pitch-black.

A black cat was lying in an incredibly seductive pose in the only small patch of sunlight at the shop’s entrance, its body stretched out long and thin, belly exposed and twisted like a maggot, snoring so loudly it shook the heavens.

The cat completely blocked the entrance, and Nan Liujing stood there for quite a while, at a loss as to how to get inside.

Stepping right over it seemed a bit disrespectful.

Calling out for help? He was afraid of waking the cat.

After thinking it over for a while, he decided not to give up just yet. He pulled out his tourist guide and flipped through it, thinking to himself that he’d check out other places first: “Let’s see where other apothecaries are—maybe they carry sun grass too…”

He muttered to himself, keeping his voice very low. Unexpectedly, the black cat’s left ear suddenly twitched. The next second, this carefree, lazy cat abruptly lifted its head, opened its golden eyes, and spoke in human language: “Are you here to sell sun grass?”

Nan Liujing was startled, and nearly dropped the booklet.

He’d seen plenty of talking birds, but this was truly the first time he’d encountered a talking cat.

“Y-yes, that’s right?” Nan Liujing cleared his throat, thought for a moment, then crouched down on his knees, trying his best to meet the cat’s gaze.

The cat rolled over and sat up, its face etched with seriousness, and whispered in a very cautious tone, “How much stock do you have?”

It looked exactly like it was making some kind of shameful, illicit deal, terrified that someone might overhear.

Nan Liujing was infected by its attitude; his expression turned serious, and he stopped speaking altogether, instead holding up his fingers to indicate a number.

The cat twitched its whiskers. “Whoa. That’s quite a lot.”

Nan Liujing covered his mouth with his hand and whispered with great seriousness, “All of them are three-star.”

The cat’s eyes flashed; it sprang to its feet and swished its tail: “Come inside to talk.”

Nan Liujing followed the cat into the store.

With no natural light, the store was so dark that he wanted to pull out his flashlight, but out of politeness, he refrained. Fortunately, after enduring the initial moment, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dim surroundings, allowing him to see clearly.

This apothecary was tiny; the counter and shelves had barely been squeezed in. The shelves, counter, and floor were all haphazardly piled high with odds and ends—it looked less like a shop and more like an old, untended warehouse.

The black cat nimbly weaved through the clutter, leaped over the counter, and in the blink of an eye, a witch clad in a black robe “materialized” from behind the counter.

The witch had a gaunt face, narrow eyes, long, seaweed-like hair, and lips so thin they seemed almost nonexistent— which gave Nan Liujing a sense of familiarity.

He instinctively wanted to make small talk.

The witch bent down and rummaged through the cluttered counter, then crouched on the floor and searched for quite a while before finally finding her pointed hat.

Once she put it on, she looked even more like a witch.

“Tell me about your wares,” the witch said, her voice sounding exactly like a cat’s.

Nan Liujing finally managed to clamber over the pile of clutter. He pulled out his tablet, holding it upright as if cradling a book—pretending this book-shaped spatial item was an actual book—and took out a sun grass, placing it on the counter.

Having been harvested just a day ago, the sun grass was still fresh; its daisy-like flowers bloomed gracefully, lying at an angle on the dark counter and steadily emitting a brilliant, molten-gold glow in the dim room.

The witch fished a magnifying glass out of a drawer, held it up to her eyes, and examined it from every angle. Then she picked up the sun grass and brought it close to her nose to smell it.

The sun grass flowers weren’t exactly fragrant; they smelled more like a quilt that had been dried in the sun all day, with a warm, cozy scent.

The witch put down the magnifying glass, looking quite satisfied: “The quality is indeed excellent. If none of the others are of this quality, we might as well sell the whole lot to me.”

“If I can sell the whole lot in one place, I don’t want to make extra trips,” Nan Liujing nodded first, then said, “But we still need to discuss the price first. I will only sell if the price is right.”

The unit price of sun grass is very low—a single high-quality, three-star sun grass plant sells for only 23 Sol. Even if he sold all 250 plants, it would bring in less than 6,000 Sol.

The profit margin wasn’t actually that low, but sun grass had been out of stock for quite some time—so long that the price of stamina potions had doubled. If he were forced to sell at market price, he’d feel like he was taking a huge loss.

Rarity drives up the price—it would be unreasonable not to charge a premium.

Hearing this, the witch snorted lightly and said haughtily, “Price? A witch never discusses price. Don’t you know that? We only speak through potions.”

As she spoke, the witch turned around, pulled a wand from her sleeve, and tapped the air lightly a few times. The massive cabinet behind her—resembling a traditional Chinese medicine cabinet—began to rumble and shake. A jumble of odds and ends rained down like a shower, and the small drawers on top opened and closed frantically. Finally, five bottles of potion floated out; the witch scooped them up in one swift motion and set them down on the counter.

“These sun grasses are of excellent quality—perfect for crafting higher-grade stamina potions. I’ll trade these few bottles for them. Just tell me if you’re in or out.”

Nan Liujing fell silent. So witches were all like Pi Xiu—only taking in, never giving out.

After a moment’s thought, he said, “Can I take a look at them first?”

“Go ahead,” the witch said indifferently, looking as if she were very sleepy. As soon as she finished speaking, she tilted her head back and yawned. As she yawned, her cat whiskers and nose peeked out, then vanished as soon as the yawn ended.

Nan Liujing lowered his head, avoiding that bizarre sight, and carefully inspected the potions.

On the counter were: Stamina Potion (Medium) x3, Energy Potion (Medium) x1, and Willpower Potion x1.

【Stamina Potion (Medium)】

【Category: Potion】

【A potion casually brewed by a witch that fully unleashes its potency. Restores 80 Stamina points upon consumption.】

【Suggested Price: 800 Sol.】

The Energy Potion restores 80 points of energy, while the Willpower Potion ensures you won’t faint for 30 minutes after drinking it—you’ll stay conscious even if your stamina is completely depleted.

Nan Liujing pushed the Energy Potion and Willpower Potion toward her and asked the witch, “Can I trade these two bottles for a Stamina Potion? ”

He simply couldn’t use up all his energy, and the Willpower Potion was even less useful.

The witch shrugged: “We’re out of Stamina Potions. But if you’re willing to wait, once I receive this batch of sun grass from you, I’ll be able to brew new Stamina Potions.”

“How long will I have to wait?”

The witch held up three fingers: “Three days.”

He couldn’t wait that long.

Nan Liujing frowned, looked down to think, and weighed the pros and cons.

Purely in terms of price, trading sun grass for Stamina Potions would put him at a disadvantage. The market price for a Medium Stamina Potion was only 800; it would take seven bottles just to barely match the value of his sun grass.

But Stamina Potions had gone up in price recently; even the Small Stamina Potion had doubled from 100 Sol to 200, so the Medium Stamina Potion had surely gone up as well—he couldn’t calculate the price that way anymore.

To turn back and walk away now—yet Nan Liujing truly did want the stamina potion.

The 80 Stamina points could bring him far more than a mere few thousand Sol.

While Nan Liujing was still agonizing over it, the witch was growing a bit impatient—the morning sunshine wouldn’t wait for anyone, and she was eager to soak up the sun and take a long nap.

“Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll swap these out for two other bottles.”

With that, the witch waved her wand, and two bottles of potion flew out from different small drawers.

One bottle shimmered with a silvery glow, as if shrouded in a layer of white mist. The other contained a pale golden solution with specks of light floating inside, resembling gold flecks.

【Sacred Potion】

【Category: Potion】

【A sacred solution brewed by a witch modeled after holy water, which exerts an extraordinary deterrent effect on dark creatures; a single bottle of this potion can easily incinerate a vampire.】

【Suggested Price: 1,500 Sol.】

【Lucky Potion】

【Category: Potion】

【A product of a witch’s game with fate. Drink this potion, and for the next 10 minutes, you’ll enjoy unparalleled good luck. But beware—after 10 minutes, fate will strike back, and you’ll suffer extreme bad luck for the next 24 hours.】

【Suggested Retail Price: 2,000 Sol.】

Nan Liujing decisively pulled out the sun grass: “Trade!”

Five minutes later, Nan Liujing walked out of the potion shop empty-handed; the sun grass in his backpack had been exchanged for five bottles of potions.

No matter what others might think, Nan Liujing felt he’d come out ahead. Growing that sun grass had been worth it.

“Where to next…” Nan Liujing pulled out his tourist guide, flipped through it, and set his sights on an alchemy shop run by the Alchemy Association in Goldfinch City.

“Hand of Glory” Alchemy Shop.

The clerk, Jack, greeted the new customer with a beaming smile as he walked in.

“Please have a seat, dear customer. Welcome to the Hand of Glory. We’re part of the Alchemy Association—just look at the logo on the sign; that’s not something we can fake. It means the quality of our products is absolutely guaranteed!”

Nan Liujing was shown to a sofa, where he was handed a product catalog. Jack darted off to pour a glass of water, which he placed in front of Nan Liujing: “Please take your time looking through this. If you need anything, just call me!”

Jack puffed out his chest and pointed to his name tag, saying, “Remember my name. My name is Jack.”

Nan Liujing: “…Okay, thank you.”

Once the clerk had walked away, Nan Liujing opened the product catalog and began skimming through it at a glance.

To be honest, his original purpose for coming to this store wasn’t to buy magic crystals, but after flipping through just a couple of pages, he was captivated by the wide variety of alchemical tools.

Automatic Watering System: Waters crops at fixed times every morning and evening. Various modes can be set, saving time and effort while offering convenience and speed—freeing up your hands. Requires an underground water source or manual refilling of the water tank. 200,000 Sol each.

Seed Maker: Reverses the aging process of mature crops to produce seeds of the same quality—an essential tool for saving seeds. 10,000 Sol.

Dairy Processor: Conveniently processes milk into cheese, cream, and butter. 250,000 Sol.

Mayonnaise Maker: Simply add eggs and olive oil to produce mayonnaise. 10,000 Sol.

Automatic Drying Rack: Speeds up the drying process for dried goods and automatically retracts when rain is detected—no more worrying about drying items in the sun. 10,000 Sol.

Lumber Maker: An alchemical tool that processes logs into lumber. 10,000 Sol.

Stone Processing Machine: An alchemical tool that processes stones into building stone. 10,000 Sol.

……

……

It wasn’t until he flipped to the very end that he spotted any mention of magic crystals.

8,500 Sol each, with no purchase limit—buy as many as you want.

This price was 500 Sol higher than listed in the item description; Nan Liujing assumed it was because prices in Goldfinch City were relatively high.

After flipping through the entire catalog, Nan Liujing didn’t rush to make a purchase. He’d originally thought he had plenty of money, but once he arrived in the big city and saw all the various goods, he realized that his meager funds really weren’t enough.

There were still several shops he hadn’t visited yet, so he needed to weigh his options carefully to decide where exactly to spend his money.

After leaving the “Hand of Glory” alchemy shop, Nan Liujing visited a few other stores.

At a carpenter’s shop called “Crazy Carpenter,” Nan Liujing spotted the construction blueprints for a windmill.

【Windmill Construction Blueprints】

【A blueprint detailing how to build a windmill. Please tear it off to use.】

【Windmill】

【Category: Architecture】

【A wind-powered structure capable of grinding wheat flour, soybean flour, rice flour, and other types of flour.

It can also serve as a power source in place of magic crystals to drive various processing machines.】

【Crafting Materials: Wood x80, Iron Nails x72, Stone x60.】

Nan Liujing didn’t have any wood—a high-grade material—on hand, but it was available at the carpenter’s shop. The blueprint and wood together cost 150,000 Sol.

This is considerably cheaper than buying the blueprints and wood to build a manufacturing machine.

Finally, Nan Liujing arrived at the branch office of the Impermanent Sea Island Management Committee in Goldfinch City. He had originally just intended to pass by, but to his surprise, the office was actually open for business. Promotional posters were plastered on the door, instantly stopping Nan Liujing in his tracks.

【Aren’t you worried that your island isn’t big enough?

Are you sighing because you have nowhere to expand your house? 

Are you destined to be a failed island owner, doomed to spend your life circling around a tiny island, crying, filled with resentment yet powerless to do anything about it?

My dear friend, do not be sad; do not despair.

The Impermanent Sea Island Management Committee is here to help you!

An island expansion permit will let you regain your pride and reignite your hope!

(If interested, please visit the store for more information.)】

Nan Liujing: “……” What the hell kind of third-rate urology clinic ad is this?

With mixed feelings, he walked inside, presented his membership badge, and successfully received a product list.

【Island Expansion Permit (One-Time Use)】

【Category: Permit】

【This permit allows you to legally expand your island into an irregular circular island with a diameter of 500 meters and randomly adds one type of marine resource.】

【Price: 500,000 Sol.】

Nan Liujing took out his little piggy bank and stroked it reluctantly; he was definitely going to have to shell out a lot today.

He glanced at his balance—752,190 Sol remained.

Now he was wondering whether to splurge.

There was no question about it: the Island Expansion Permit was an absolute must-buy. No matter how expensive it was, he had to get it. A game-changer like this—one that directly expands the island’s area and adds resources—is a rare find. Who knows how long he’d have to wait if he missed this opportunity?

He immediately transferred 500,000 Sol from his savings.

With just over 250,000 Sol remaining, Nan Liujing was leaning toward purchasing the windmill blueprint. Only then could he turn wheat into flour, and the windmill itself would function as a power source. The various manufacturing and processing machines sold at the alchemy shop all required magic crystals to operate; with a windmill, he could save that money once and for all.

The remaining money would be used to purchase the magic crystals needed to build the typhoon guardrails, as well as the wood required for the windmill. On his island, the structures that needed protection from typhoons included the farmhouse, farm fields, animal sheds, the slime ranch, and the smokehouse.

Earlier, Nan Liujing had consulted the owner of the carpentry shop in Olive Town, who told him, “As long as you arrange the farm fields closely together, a single typhoon guardrail can protect all of them.” So he would only need a total of five magic crystals.

As for the mailbox, since it requires very few materials anyway, rather than going to the trouble of protecting it, just wait until it gets smashed and build a new one.

In addition, he needs one magic crystal to heat his bathwater.

These six magic crystals aren’t strictly necessary. Considering that magic crystals in this game are like batteries—very versatile—he might as well round up to a full set and buy four more as spares.

Leaving the “Hand of Glory” Alchemy Shop, Nan Liujing’s little piggy bank still held 17,190 Sol.

Back to square one.

He couldn’t buy any more; he had to set aside some money for players who needed to send mail.

Glancing up at the sky, Nan Liujing hurried toward White Dew Manor.