Chapter 218: Raising Leeches and Blood Mushrooms for Wealth! (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

In the post-apocalyptic world, grains and fruits would become increasingly rare and precious. Jing Shu wasn’t planning on selling these, except for special cases to maintain relationships. Since her resources were already stretched thin, she needed to grow rare, valuable crops to accumulate capital. Doing so would not only avoid drawing too much attention but also help her network with influential people.

Blood mushrooms were a key part of her plan. It had been ten days since she harvested the blood mushrooms—two had been eaten, and four remained. She had planted the roots of two mushrooms in her spatial cube’s fields but hadn’t seen any growth despite the passage of time. Even with the nourishing properties of the spirit spring water, other crops like eggplants and papayas had matured, but the blood mushrooms hadn’t grown even a millimeter.

Today, as Jing Shu took out one of the larger blood mushrooms from her cube, a thought struck her. Why not simulate the blood mushrooms’ natural habitat? Under normal circumstances, no one else would be able to replicate such an environment, but with her spatial cube, which could create optimal conditions for various life forms, she had a chance of succeeding.

Blood mushrooms typically grew in areas with leeches and red threadworms. The relationship between these creatures was similar to that of venomous snakes and the antidote-producing herbs that often grow near them—symbiotic yet adversarial.

While Jing Shu didn’t fully understand the intricate biology behind it, she didn’t need to. She just needed to capture some leeches and red threadworms to place in her space along with the blood mushrooms. Then she could observe whether this environment helped the mushrooms grow.

If successful, she could even enhance their growth by watering them with diluted spirit spring water, which could enrich the mushrooms. After all, blood mushrooms varied in quality—the larger and more vibrant they were, the higher their value.

Suddenly, she remembered something. Leeches had significant medicinal value. Live leeches could be used to drain pus, toxins, and stagnant blood from the body. Dried leeches could be ground into medicinal powders that treat various ailments like blood clots and poor circulation, and injecting honey into leeches could treat corneal spots and cataracts. Truly, they were valuable whether alive or dead. Even the doctor had been asking about them the other day for medicinal purposes!

Jing Shu rubbed her hands in anticipation. The best part was that by raising leeches, she’d be indirectly raising blood mushrooms too, which she could use to expand her business with the medicinal herb association. In one stroke, she could hit three birds with one stone—growing leeches, cultivating blood mushrooms, and enhancing her influence in the association.

All of this made leech farming an ideal plan: efficient, lucrative, and multifaceted. Of course, this was still just her theory, and she would have to see if it worked in practice.

Jing Shu began furiously jotting down her new plan. So absorbed was she in her thoughts that she barely noticed how she arrived at the old man Yang Yang’s house for the birthday celebration. Her mind was already racing with ideas, eager to rush to the city center and rescue—no, “find”—people in order to gather more leeches.

Unfortunately, luck didn’t seem to be on her side. Despite multiple trips to the city, she hadn’t encountered any missing persons or opportunities to gather leeches. It seemed she would need a more proactive approach instead of waiting passively for the right moment.

Old Man Yang Yang’s residence was in the West Mountain Old District. The house was like something out of history, built entirely of stone and exuding an ancient atmosphere. Jing Shu estimated that it had been around for at least a century. At the entrance stood two stone lions—one male playing with a ball, the other a female tending to her cub—symbolizing a deep sense of cultural heritage.

Despite the heavy rain, a large canopy had been set up over the courtyard, providing ample space for parked cars. The main gate looked vintage, adorned with two large red lanterns hanging on either side. The place was buzzing with activity, filled with guests coming and going.

Unlike the flashy luxury cars she had seen at Su Mali’s auction, the vehicles here were mostly understated black Audis and Volkswagens. Only a few luxury models, though discreet, hinted at the wealth of their owners.

Jing Shu arrived in her shark-shaped submarine, and Wang Dazhao greeted her at the entrance.

Once inside, Jing Shu felt a sense of historical depth and class. The house was filled with ancient artifacts—old but valuable. Even the house's structure resembled a three-part traditional courtyard from the late Qing Dynasty. While many areas had been refurbished, modern elements like central air conditioning were cleverly concealed within the ancient design. Even the electric lights were modified candleholders. The furniture was all classic redwood, and although some pieces had cracks, their aesthetic value remained unaffected.

The floor was paved with old, blue-gray bricks, with some sections noticeably newer where repairs had been made. All these details spoke of the house’s long history.

The courtyard had a small rockery and fishpond with koi and carp swimming inside. The original flowerbeds had been repurposed into vegetable patches, complete with grow lights. Only the roots of harvested leeks and lettuce remained.

This residence, older than many of the grand siheyuan houses in the capital, was an intriguing blend of ancient tradition and modern technology. Jing Shu admired how it reflected a refined lifestyle, much like her own philosophy: never settling for less when the conditions were available. The house's thoughtful design, from the shelter over the courtyard to the human-centric details, showed that the owner, much like Jing Shu, valued quality of life.

"This person must be very powerful," Jing Shu thought. After all, holding a grand birthday banquet in the apocalypse was no small feat.

Wang Dazhao led Jing Shu to the main courtyard where the birthday celebration was being held. The space was vast, and a stage had been set up in the center with performers putting on a traditional opera. The dining area was arranged in round tables seating ten people each, with more than twenty tables covered in red cloth, creating an elegant atmosphere. The setup was far more lavish than anything Jing Shu had experienced, even before the apocalypse.

Jing Shu was seated at a table in the upper right corner, which was nearly full. The lively atmosphere filled the courtyard as Yang Yang sipped on his drink, looking pensive. When he saw Jing Shu, he offered her his seat.

"Your grandfather knows how to make an entrance," Jing Shu remarked.

"Just you wait. He’s always been obsessed with appearances. By the end of the night, he’ll be kneeling on a washboard for sure," Yang Yang replied with a sigh.

He motioned for her to sit next to him, explaining, "Our table’s filled with close friends—some of us went to America together. The other three seats are for Old Bull’s family."

As if on cue, Niu Moo arrived, carrying several large bags while his wife led their son by the hand.

Upon spotting Jing Shu, little Niu Kanben ran over, tears welling in his eyes. "Sister Jing, please save me! My mom says she's going to discipline me when we get home."

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