Chapter 119: Chapter 119

This sugarcane was a mutant variety too—not only was the juice super sweet, but the fibers were like spun sugar. In other words, once you peeled off the skin and boiled off the water, you were left with pure sugar.

Might as well make mint candy!

Mu Ying got the ingredients ready, pulled out her wand, and prepared to use Cooking Magic.

All the necessary kitchenware sprang into action—washing, peeling, prepping.

After a flurry of activity, Mu Ying looked at the mountain of pale green mint candies piled on the table. “Did I maybe make too much?”

She thought for a moment, found a stack of wax paper, and waved her wand again.

The wax paper sheets lined up, hopping over to the scissors to be cut into little squares.

The squares floated to the candy pile, each wrapping itself around a mint candy, rolling and folding until a neatly wrapped candy was done.

She packed up some for Gun Gun and the wolf pack, loading them into Gun Gun’s basket so he could take them back to the treehouse and share with the wolves.

Mu Ying teleported with the rest of the candies to Treehouse No. 101.

This was an untouched, original-style treehouse. A big counter split the space in two, with shelves behind it for merchandise.

“Professor Du, I made too much mint candy, so let’s use them as freebies for tomorrow’s opening,” Mu Ying said, placing the candies on the counter.

Professor Du, who had been writing something on a wooden board, looked up at her and smiled. “Great!”

Mu Ying’s ears twitched—she only heard a faint breath of sound: “…”

She never would have guessed that even a senior intellectual like Professor Du could have a childish moment.

“You can try some yourself,” Mu Ying added after a moment’s thought. “And if Professor Su wants any, feel free to grab a handful for him too.”

This shop was the territory’s specialty store, set to open tomorrow and temporarily managed by Professor Du. Later, she could pick a clerk to help out.

There weren’t many product types, and the daily supply was limited, but the prices were cheap. As long as you were a permanent resident, you could buy ordinary specialties here at a discount.

Where there are ordinary specialties, there are also special ones. The former are perks for residents; the latter are the real signature products she wants to make famous.

Ordinary specialties were mostly the surplus vegetables and fruits from Mu Ying’s plantation, plus meat, hides, and scraps from the ranch.

Ordinary specialties were limited in quantity, discounted in price, and only available to residents.

Specialty products could be bought by anyone, with no limit, and were the main source of external revenue.

Right now, there weren’t many special products—just binding vine seeds and various hair-dyeing potions, with the cheapest brown dye still costing a silver coin.

The specialty shop didn’t have many products or much stock yet, and would only be open for two hours a day for now.

All in all, this shop was for selling the territory’s surplus and her own research results. Maybe the ordinary specialties were the main draw for now, but in the future, the special products would definitely become the territory’s signature."

"The next morning, Treehouse No. 101—the house that had remained tightly shut ever since it was rented out—finally opened, and Professor Du stepped outside.

Router, who happened to be passing by, couldn’t help but feel puzzled when he saw her come out. Professor Du and Professor Su were now a dual-income household in the apocalypse, and they already had free housing allocated to them at the Quarry Camp. Why were they spending money to rent another place?

He really wanted to ask Professor Du about it, but unfortunately, he’d shouted too loudly yesterday and his voice was hoarse.

At that moment, Professor Du changed the exterior of the treehouse, adding a signboard above the door.

“Territory Specialty Shop?” Professor Du was opening a store? Wait, no, with that name, this must be the Lord’s shop!

Router walked up to the shop entrance, pointed at the sign, and rasped out three words in a breathy whisper: “The Lord’s?”

Professor Du smiled and nodded. “The Lord opened it to give back to everyone. There’s meat and vegetables, limited supply, and a purchase limit per person. Want to come in and take a look?”

Professor Du’s voice was really something! Yesterday, he’d watched her shout at the top of her lungs, and today her voice was even better than his.

You really can’t underestimate the elders who survived the apocalypse!

Router looked at Professor Du with admiration.

Once inside the shop, Router immediately noticed how much simpler it was compared to the other stores. It had the vibe of a supply and marketing cooperative from Blue Star’s 70s and 80s.

The goods were all clearly displayed, taking up most of the long counter: vegetables and fruits still dewy with freshness, fresh beef, lamb, and rabbit, unsalted cowhide, sheepskin, and rabbit fur, all divided into small portions.

Next to them hung a wooden board, with neat charcoal writing:

“Today’s Offerings”

“Vegetables: 1 copper coin/portion”

“Fruit: 2 copper coins/portion”

“Rabbit meat: 3 copper coins/portion”

“Lamb: 4 copper coins/portion”

“Beef: 5 copper coins/portion”

...

“Free gift: One mint candy handmade by the Lord, while supplies last.”

“Note: Purchase limit of one portion per person.”

Looking at the first part, Router thought it was ridiculously cheap. For example, a whole bag of potatoes counted as a portion of vegetables—the amount was enough to fill up his whole team about two-thirds of the way, and it only cost 1 copper coin. That was practically giving it away! The meat was an even better deal.

His team hunted often, so they weren’t short on meat, but they did lack vegetables and fruit.

It wasn’t that they were starving, but they rarely touched the vegetables from the camp’s communal garden, and there weren’t as many varieties as here.

He wished he could stockpile a whole bunch.

But when he saw the “limit one per person” at the end, Router immediately pulled out a copper coin, grabbed a portion of his favorite glowing cucumber, and dashed out the door—making sure to grab his complimentary mint candy on the way.

He had to call his teammates over before anyone else found out about this place!

Thank goodness the specialty shop was tucked away in such a remote spot!

As he ran, he unwrapped the mint candy and popped it in his mouth.

Instantly, his throat felt a cool, sweet sensation—refreshing to the extreme.

“Delish!” he managed to croak out, his voice still hoarse.

This candy was amazing for soothing the throat! And it tasted fantastic! Long live the Lord!

Router sprinted back to the treehouse as fast as he could, but unfortunately, his teammates were all out for their morning training, leaving only Guo Xiao inside.