Chapter 42: Going Downstairs, Advancing for Food

Bian Changxi pushed open the door to the wooden cabin. The inside was just over ten square meters, completely empty of any furniture. She didn’t know what the designers of this jade bracelet farm were thinking—later, even when she got a small villa, the interior would be fully finished, with complete wiring and plumbing, but things like furniture and appliances always had to be brought in from outside, leaving her to slowly turn the place into a home bit by bit.

For now, she didn’t plan to do anything with this little cabin. At the very least, she’d wait until it turned into a two-story brick house and the flow of time in the farm slowed down. Only then would she consider settling in here—by then, she’d probably have reached the Su City base and have a proper place to stay.

She returned to the creek and poured most of the white core Gu Xu had given her into the stream, saving the rest in her warehouse in case she needed it later. She also carefully wrapped up the jade bracelet fragment and stored it in the warehouse.

According to her theory, the energy from the tier-two green core had stimulated the farm, causing it to upgrade and expand, and at the same time, allowed the farm to break free from the jade bracelet as its vessel. Now, the mark on her wrist had become the key to entering the farm.

If that was really the case, it was a blessing. She’d never have to worry again about the bracelet being damaged, lost, or drawing suspicion. Heaven knew she’d only been able to sleep soundly by holding onto the bracelet every night.

After finishing all this, she estimated that less than a minute had passed. Not daring to linger, she stepped out and glanced at the watch on the table that was keeping time—it showed that one minute and fifty-two seconds had gone by.

She let out a breath of relief. At first, one minute in the farm equaled five minutes outside, but now things had improved a lot. Still, the closer she got to synchronizing the flow of time inside and out, the harder it became. She planned to start planting as soon as the time difference was nearly gone.

Once outside, the air felt thick and heavy, and her fatigue and pain came rushing back. She hurried to take a shower—though it was inconvenient to wash up out here, she had to leave traces of having bathed. She refused to allow any slip-ups in these kinds of details.

After using up two buckets of mineral water, she went back into the farm, soaked herself in the creek, and scrubbed herself clean, soothing her nerves a bit. Then she went back out, got dressed, and walked out while toweling her damp hair.

In one corner of the supermarket’s third floor, several flashlights were shining. Gu Xu and the others were busy with their own tasks. Two people were indeed cooking, and the aroma of pork ribs and rice drifted over, making her stomach growl even more. On the other side, separated by several shelves, Lin Rongrong had also lit several lamps, cleared a space on the floor, and was laying out several quilts to make a bed.

Lin Rongrong was not someone who shortchanged herself. If she had the means, she would never just curl up somewhere for the night like some roughneck. Probably worried about dirty clothes messing up the bedding, she’d put on a big nightgown and tied up her hair. She laid down two layers of cotton batting, then a bamboo mat, then a thin blanket, and finally a light down comforter, fussing over every detail like a busy little bee. When Bian Changxi came out, Lin Rongrong was searching everywhere for a pillow.

She didn’t find a pillow, but she did find Bian Changxi. Like she’d found treasure, she pulled her over. “Changxi, what do you think of this? I heard it gets really cold at night—we can’t just sit up all night, right? Other than a pillow, is there anything else we need?”

Bian Changxi replied coolly, “I’m not used to sharing a bed with someone.”

“Oh, don’t be like that! The bed’s big, and I’m a good sleeper—I won’t bother you. Oh, that bone soup smells so good, it’ll be ready soon. I’m going to shower first, so don’t you go making another bed for yourself!” She hurriedly grabbed two basins full of clothes and lotion and dashed off to the lounge.

Bian Changxi shook her head as she watched her leave. At first glance, Lin Rongrong seemed like a delicate, timid girl, and she was timid, but she also had a certain explosiveness—when it was time to act, she never hesitated. After spending some time together (really just a few hours), her “true colors” had come out: she was actually outgoing, bold, passionate, and had her own opinions.

To be honest, Bian Changxi quite liked her personality.

She dried her short hair and realized it really was a bit cold. She was wearing a black tracksuit with just a T-shirt underneath. Summer was here, and soon the days would get hotter and hotter, so two layers was the limit. But at night, it got freezing—just like now.

She went to the clothing section and grabbed a thin down jacket that hadn’t been put away yet, put it on, and sat on the bed. She took out the tier-two green core, now almost colorless after being absorbed by the jade bracelet, and began to absorb it herself, replenishing her depleted powers and healing her internal injuries.

Since less than a tenth of the core’s energy remained, it was no longer dangerous for her. As soon as she started, her damaged “meridians” greedily absorbed the energy. Her whole body felt cool, then warm, as the glowing green energy circulated inside her, thicker than before. When it passed under her left rib, she consciously directed it to nourish the injured tissue.

She figured her powers had improved as well. Though she hadn’t leveled up like the farm, she was definitely stronger than before.

She hadn’t been at it long when a commotion broke out nearby, making her open her eyes in annoyance. It turned out people from the second floor, unable to stand the cold, had come up to grab quilts and clothes.

She’d already absorbed nearly half the energy, so she put away the now nearly unchanged core.

“All the stuff in the supermarket is for everyone to use—take what you need, but keep it down. There are three rules: don’t touch anything that’s already claimed, no fighting or snatching—if you must fight, take it outside. And finally, don’t disturb this area.” Qiu Yun led the group over, gesturing at Bian Changxi’s bed and the space around it, his handsome face set in a mock-serious scowl. “If anyone’s dumb enough to touch even a single thing belonging to Miss Bian, you know what’ll happen!”

With a wave of his hand, a wind blade sliced clean through the corner of a metal shelf.

Everyone jumped, quickly assuring him they wouldn’t dare. Qiu Yun nodded and waved them off.

Bian Changxi looked up—there were at least twenty people. There were only fifty or sixty people downstairs, so more than a third had come up at once.

Qiu Yun smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Miss Bian. These people will leave once they’ve got what they need. We made a big pot of pork rib, yam, and rice soup—it’ll be ready soon. You two should have some.”

It’s hard to refuse someone being so polite. Besides, Bian Changxi, though she held grudges, wasn’t about to argue with someone who’d just lost a loved one and was acting out of grief. Plus, her mood was good after the farm and her powers had improved, so she smiled and nodded. “Thanks for the trouble.”

Qiu Yun was stunned by her smile, scratched his head, and walked off happily. Just then, Lin Rongrong came out, looking refreshed. She froze when she saw all the people grabbing things like refugees, then hurried over. “What’s going on?”

“People from downstairs, coming up to get supplies.”

“Get supplies? Look at the mess they’re making! If they want quilts, fine, but why tear them open and throw them on the floor? At a time like this, they’re still being picky?”

In no time, the once tidy third floor was a mess. Clothes, blankets, batteries, tissues—everything was scattered everywhere, trampled underfoot. It was infuriating!

Suddenly, Lin Rongrong’s eyes lit up. She whispered in Bian Changxi’s ear, “Since they’re coming up to grab stuff, why don’t we go downstairs and get what we want?”"