Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Ying Yuanxing watched as the hundred portions of dried fish, freshly listed, vanished again. He hesitated, then decided against restocking immediately.

Though he could still stretch his remaining fish to offer a few hundred more portions, doing so would leave him with nothing for days. Such inconsistent availability wouldn’t foster customer loyalty. It was better to list a small amount daily, keeping customers engaged and eager.

After some thought, Ying Yuanxing updated the dried fish’s product title: "100 portions restocked daily at 12 PM."

Having revised the title, he checked his other listings and was surprised to find that the hay had also sold out. All four portions, however, were purchased by the same buyer—different account names, but identical shipping addresses.

Initially, Ying Yuanxing suspected someone was circumventing the one-per-account daily purchase limit. He was about to cancel the orders when he noticed the address belonged to a government facility. Realizing it might simply be colleagues recommending the product to each other, he decided to let the orders proceed.

Unbeknownst to the Dawn Bureau, their order had narrowly escaped cancellation. They now awaited Ying Yuanxing’s shipment with eager anticipation.

Though only a few hours had passed, the Dawn Bureau possessed extensive experience in testing Eerie Cuisine. Their analysis revealed that the dried fish contained traces of Supernatural Energy. While its concentration was lower than other Eerie Cuisine they had tested, its purity was remarkably high, making it irresistibly attractive to supernatural entities.

Experiments showed that if ten grams of dried fish were placed beside an able-bodied adult, a supernatural entity would prioritize attacking the fish. During this period, even if the human fled, the entity would not pursue—an effect lasting nearly ten seconds.

Only after consuming all the dried fish would the supernatural entity turn its attention to the human.

Though the duration was somewhat brief, they experimented by mixing the dried fish with other ingredients to prolong the entity’s feeding time. For instance, grinding the dried fish into powder, blending it with another type of fish meal, and reshaping it into fish strips still retained its effectiveness, extending the delay to approximately twenty seconds.

If ten seconds wasn’t enough for someone to escape, twenty seconds certainly was. Even if escape wasn’t possible, having more dried fish on hand could buy enough time for Dawn Bureau personnel to arrive.

For Dawn Bureau agents, the dried fish could even serve as a lure to draw supernatural entities away. In short, its uses were plentiful.

Reviewing Ying Yuanxing’s livestream content, the Dawn Bureau observed that compared to fish, supernatural entities seemed even more drawn to premium fish feed—or rather, hay. If fish had such an effect, what about hay?

The Dawn Bureau was keen to acquire all of Ying Yuanxing’s hay, but he had only listed four portions. Since the JoyBuy app lacked a direct buyer-seller communication channel, they could only secretly hope Ying Yuanxing would shift more of his sales online.

Thinking about how many supernatural entities had purchased early on, the Dawn Bureau couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

…

Ying Yuanxing separated the four portions of hay, packed them, and sighed as he looked at his dwindling stock of packaging bags. Though he disliked going to the city, it seemed he’d have to make time for a trip soon.

After labeling the packages with the shipping addresses, he lifted the lid of the delivery bin—only to find something at the bottom that resembled packaging bags.

A return?

His stomach dropped as he pulled them out, only to realize they were clean, used packaging bags. For a moment, he thought the courier had delivered new ones.

Upon closer inspection, however, he noticed these weren’t new. They had clearly been washed and reused, yet they were completely clean, odor-free, and still sturdy despite minor signs of wear.

Hesitant, Ying Yuanxing decided to leave a note asking about the bags. If they were meant for reuse, he’d gladly comply.

This didn’t seem like the JoyBuy app’s doing—their advertisements were always ostentatious and lavish. Reusing packaging bags seemed too penny-pinching for their style.

If not JoyBuy, then it must have been the courier. Ying Yuanxing recalled something: since couriers traveled everywhere, perhaps they could help him purchase more of these bags, saving him a trip to the city.

Right away, he wrote his request on a note, placed it prominently inside the delivery bin, and packed the orders.

With the shipments ready, Ying Yuanxing headed to the fields. Gazing at the crops, his eyes lit up with excitement.

After days of watering, the first batch of crops had finally ripened. From a gaming perspective, their growth had been slow, but in reality, vegetables maturing in just half a month was unbelievably quick.

Looking around, Ying Yuanxing wanted the first harvest to feel momentous. He hesitated over which plant to pick first.

"Xuan Ying, come here," he called out, spotting Xuan Ying hauling firewood. An idea struck him.

"Here, help me film a video," he said, handing his phone to Xuan Ying. "Make sure it’s clear."

Xuan Ying stared at the phone, then at Ying Yuanxing, completely baffled. This was beyond his expertise.

Clearing his throat, Ying Yuanxing straightened his clothes and announced solemnly, "After over half a month back in the village, through hard work, I’ve finally achieved my first harvest. This is a garlic field—let’s see how much we can gather."

Pausing, he checked Xuan Ying’s recording.

"Is it bad?" Xuan Ying asked nervously, sensing Ying Yuanxing’s silence. He had no experience filming and had hastily drawn from fragmented memories.

"No, it’s fine…" Just a bit eerie. Ying Yuanxing swallowed the latter half of his comment, not wanting to discourage him.

Despite the bright daylight and his cheerful demeanor, Xuan Ying’s footage inexplicably carried a creepy atmosphere.

At least it was distinctive—certainly better than a jumbled mess.

"Keep filming," Ying Yuanxing said, returning the phone and resuming his stance. He wanted to say something memorable, but the unnerving video left him speechless. Taking a deep breath, he turned and began harvesting.

The plot held about a dozen garlic plants. Initially, Ying Yuanxing planned to pick them manually, but worried about damaging them, he opted for his farming skill instead.

The result made him grateful. Using the skill, he harvested not just garlic bulbs but also garlic shoots and scapes—somehow achieving a threefold harvest from a single plant.

Both Ying Yuanxing and his viewers were stunned.

"I—what? I’m speechless."

"I knew abilities in the Eerie game varied, but this is exceptional."

"Is this even science?"

"Well, garlic shoots can regrow if not uprooted, and scapes and bulbs can be harvested later. But getting all three at once? Never seen that before."

"With skills like this, inheriting a farm was destiny."

"Seriously. No regrets about the streamer’s return now."

"Remember when the streamer could only nibble on garlic leaves? Now he can feast properly."

"Honestly, this makes me crave garlic. Heading to the store!"

After admiring the garlic, Ying Yuanxing turned to the other crops with hope—only to be disappointed. Carrots and potatoes produced just one crop each, with no secondary yields.

The last remaining crop was strawberries.

Taking a deep breath, Ying Yuanxing inhaled the fruit’s overpowering sweetness. It was much more fragrant than any he’d smelled in supermarkets—likely because commercial strawberries were harvested prematurely to prevent bruising. These, however, were fully ripened.

Gulping, Ying Yuanxing didn't risk harvesting them manually. The slightest mistake could ruin them.

Using his skill, he carefully plucked the strawberries and transferred them straight to his storage, bypassing any packaging that might cause damage.

"The streamer’s being so careful. Are strawberries really that fragile?"

"From their size, shine, and the streamer’s reaction, these are fully ripe. They’re delicate."

"I came for the garlic, but now I'm craving strawberries too. I swear I can smell them from here!"

"These strawberries must taste amazing. For the past two days, swarms of birds have been flying over, probably trying to steal some. Luckily, Xiao Hei chased them away. Oh, and there were plenty of insects on the ground too, but Xiao Hei caught and ate them all. Without Xiao Hei, the streamer would've been harassed these past two days."

"This cat really pulls its weight for the streamer."

"But the streamer treats Xiao Hei really well too. Whenever Xiao Hei wants to eat grass, the streamer lets him, and even makes cat meals every day. Honestly, I don’t take care of myself as well as the streamer takes care of his cat."

"Ouch, too real."

"Usually, supermarket strawberries seem fragrant and tasty, but compared to the ones the streamer harvested, they fall short. I can’t pinpoint what’s missing, but side-by-side, it's no contest."

"Ever had truly perfect strawberries?"

"What do you mean?"

"My family used to grow strawberries. If you pick the best seeds, use the right fertilizer, water them properly, and dial in the temperature, humidity, and temperature differences to the ideal conditions for strawberries, you'll get berries just like streamer's."

"Wow, did you actually grow some like that before? How did they taste?"

"Well, not exactly, since the streamer used his ability, so his are probably more perfect. The ones I grew were close to perfect, but there weren’t many, so I didn’t sell them. I also couldn’t bear to pick them early. All I can say is, one bite and the flavor just exploded in my mouth and nose, and even my breath turned a little sweet."

"Stop it. I’m at work, sneaking a look at the stream, and now I'm glued here for over a minute, wanting to take leave just to buy strawberries."

"Even though supermarket strawberries aren’t as good as the streamer’s, I couldn’t resist and bought the premium ones. Started chowing down right outside the checkout counter."

"How were they? Tasty?"

"The pricier ones are definitely better—very fragrant. But the more I ate, the more I craved the streamer’s strawberries. They're on another level."

"You guys want to buy strawberries? I’ve already started picking out strawberry seeds, shooting to grow my own this year and eat properly ripe ones. Don’t you realize the key is ripeness? It’s hard to find properly ripe strawberries in supermarkets."

"By the way, will the streamer sell strawberries? I'd pay in Weird coins if I had to. Hell, I'd take just one."

"Same."

"If they’re for sale, could you sell the seeds too? I’d like to grow some."

"New viewer alert?"

"Do I have 'newbie' written on me? I only said one thing, and you all noticed."

"Not really. It’s just that you don’t seem to know how the streamer operates. Hmmmm, just keep watching and you’ll understand."

The new viewer didn’t get an answer in the chat, as everyone kept discussing the taste of strawberries. So he stopped asking and focused on watching.

Ying Yuanxing finally finished picking all the strawberries. Afterward, he felt like even his hands were drenched in strawberry sweetness.

Biting back the urge to eat one, he turned to Xuan Ying and said, "We're good on footage."

Xuan Ying tapped his phone to stop recording and handed it back.

"Just put it in my pocket. Otherwise, the phone will smell like strawberries too," Ying Yuanxing said, shaking his head. The scent wasn’t a problem, but it was so enticing it might set off cravings. The strawberries were limited, and even if he indulged a little, he couldn’t polish off a pound in one go. Best to minimize temptation.

Xuan Ying nodded and slipped the phone into Ying Yuanxing’s pocket, closing the distance as he did. The proximity let him catch Ying Yuanxing’s scent.

Having spent so long in the strawberry field, Ying Yuanxing’s whole body was steeped in strawberry scent, though he didn’t notice it himself.

Xuan Ying had long known that Yuan Xiu had his eyes on Ying Yuanxing—not just his body, but his pure soul. For this reason, he’d fought Yuan Xiu privately several times to warn him off.

But today, smelling the sweet aroma clinging to Ying Yuanxing’s soul, Xuan Ying felt his fangs ache with the urge to take a bite. Yet he knew Ying Yuanxing wouldn’t like that—he was afraid of pain.

Though he could eat quickly, so fast Ying Yuanxing wouldn't feel a thing if a sliver of his soul was devoured, the pain of having his soul torn couldn’t be avoided, no matter how fast he was.

Xuan Ying's eyes darkened with conflict. As a Weird Artifact, even if he felt close to Ying Yuanxing, he'd picked up his mindset from other Weird Artifacts—most of whom were vicious. Only his care for Ying Yuanxing kept him from acting recklessly.

Clueless about Xuan Ying’s dark impulses, Ying Yuanxing saw him staring, looking hungry, and assumed it was the strawberry fragrance. He dragged Xuan Ying toward the house.

"Come on, let’s get these seeds sorted quickly." Ying Yuanxing took out two pairs of tweezers, specially commissioned earlier from Yuan Qing specifically for extracting strawberry seeds.

He handed one pair to Xuan Ying, kept the other, then placed a strawberry in Xuan Ying’s hand before starting on his own.

It finally clicked for the new viewer why others had said he’d get it after watching. Even if Ying Yuanxing sold strawberries, they’d probably come deseeded. Where would the seeds come from?

Ying Yuanxing was being careful, but holding a strawberry in one hand and using tweezers in the other took steady hands. One slip, and he’d poke a hole in the fruit.

Seeing the red juice seep out, he instinctively licked it. Though there wasn’t much, after craving for so long, the flavor burst across his tongue.

Ying Yuanxing wrestled with himself—he wanted to eat it so badly, but the strawberry wasn’t fully deseeded yet. One bite would mean losing so many seeds.

As he hesitated, the strawberry was plucked from his grasp. Xuan Ying took it and replaced it with a fully red, seedless one.

"Why’d you give this to me?" Ying Yuanxing asked without thinking.

"Don’t you want to eat it?" Xuan Ying countered. After his own craving earlier, how could he not see Ying Yuanxing’s struggle? The only hesitation was the unfinished seeding. Since his was done, giving it to Ying Yuanxing was natural.

Ying Yuanxing didn’t know how to respond. Seeing Xuan Ying lower his head to continue seeding, making it clear he should dig in, he took a deep breath.

In the confined space, the berry aroma hung thick in the air, but Ying Yuanxing’s self-control kicked in now. He set the strawberry aside, took out two more, gave one to Xuan Ying, and resumed seeding.

This time, Ying Yuanxing focused only on not damaging the seeds. The flesh didn’t matter—he’d eat it anyway, so a few pokes were fine. He worked twice as fast. By the time Xuan Ying finished his second strawberry, Ying Yuanxing was done too.

He glanced at his own seeded strawberry, then at Xuan Ying’s.

No use comparing—it’d only hurt his pride. As long as the strawberries tasted good, that was enough.

"Let’s do two for now. We’ll handle the rest later." Ying Yuanxing picked up a strawberry. Though he wanted to inhale it in one bite, remembering the tedious seeding process, he settled for a nibble of the top.

Sweet, fragrant, tender—this strawberry lived up to the hype. That was rare, as so many fruits smelled great but tasted bland.

Though Ying Yuanxing didn’t vocalize it, the bliss on his face told the viewers everything.

"I give up. There’s a fruit shop downstairs—I’m going to buy a box of strawberries right now."

"Aren’t you still at work? Maybe order delivery?"

"Delivery’s too expensive, and it’d take time. I’ll just sneak out."

"But store-bought strawberries won’t taste as good as the streamer’s."

"True, but at least you don’t have to pick out seeds."

"Brutal. That’s gotta sting for the streamer."

"The streamer has no choice. Seeds are expensive, and even though these seem like normal fruit, not Weird Artifacts, the seeds aren’t easy to buy."

"You all laugh at the streamer, but forget—he’s collecting so many seeds, he’ll probably plant a huge strawberry field later. Then he’ll sell them. Laugh now, but if the streamer sees your comments when he returns to Earth, he might ban you from buying."

"What? What did I say? The streamer picking seeds is a service to all netizens, to the entire Xia State. If he goes through the trouble of growing strawberries to sell to us, that’s a monumental effort. I bow to you."

"The streamer works so hard picking seeds. He deserves to eat such delicious strawberries."

"I've already prepared the Weird Coins, just waiting for the streamer to sell strawberries."

"All you do is talk—put your money where your mouth is. I'll go first: if I buy strawberries, I'll pick out the seeds and mail them back to the streamer."

"Don't be so extra! Besides, by the time the streamer sells strawberries, he'll probably have seeds to spare."

After learning about the effects of dried fish, the Dawn Bureau stepped up their monitoring of Ying Yuanxing's livestream.

Seeing Ying Yuanxing harvest new crops, even though they didn’t appear particularly unusual, they were quickly documented.

"Captain Lin, do you think these strawberries might have an effect on luring the Weird?" The rescue team was also watching the stream and couldn’t help but ask, seeing how much Ying Yuanxing enjoyed the strawberries.

After all, the animal feed was scarce, and while the river was full of fish, Ying Yuanxing's fishing time was restricted. It was unlikely he’d collect fish from others, but strawberries were different.

Ying Yuanxing hadn’t planted many strawberries before, so large-scale production was probably out of the question. But the seeds from just one strawberry were numerous.

They had calculated carefully—one strawberry packed nearly 320 seeds. If all of them survived and grew, the strawberries Ying Yuanxing harvested could potentially produce enough for the entire country.

While it wouldn’t be possible for every citizen to get one strawberry, stretching them with additives, like with the dried fish, could allow dozens to get a taste.

"Not sure. Look at that Weird next to Ying Yuanxing—it seems indifferent to the strawberries," Captain Lin shook his head.

On screen, Xuan Ying and Ying Yuanxing were eating slowly. Ying Yuanxing was savoring each bite, while Xuan Ying just mirrored his tempo, showing no particular enthusiasm for the strawberries.

"Uh..." A team member hesitated.

"Speak," Captain Lin commanded.

"Captain, I’ve seen this anomaly on the platform before. It’s a bit odd—seems to only care about Ying Yuanxing and shows no interest in anything else," the member said vaguely, avoiding mentioning the CP posts he’d read.

"Send me the link." Captain Lin frowned. Ever since seeing Xuan Ying, he’d felt something was off about this anomaly but couldn’t pinpoint what. Now that there was analysis available, he wanted to check immediately.

The team member fell silent. Regretting speaking up, he didn’t want to share his private gossip with his superior—it felt like his mature and composed image was crumbling. But seeing Captain Lin’s serious expression, he had no choice but to hand over the link.

Clicking the link and reading the title, Captain Lin glanced up at the team member, who kept his head stubbornly lowered. His throat worked, but he said nothing and began reading carefully.

After going through the posts, Captain Lin only felt more confused. His gut said no, he didn’t believe Xuan Ying "liked" Ying Yuanxing, but the analyses and Xuan Ying’s restraint around him made him second-guess himself.

After finishing one strawberry, Ying Yuanxing quickly grabbed a second, taking a big bite. The sweet juice filled his mouth, and he sighed contentedly, only to notice Xuan Ying hadn’t eaten after the first one.

"Didn’t you want to eat? Why stop?" Ying Yuanxing asked, puzzled.

"You have it." Xuan Ying shook his head, slid the strawberry his way. If he hadn’t eaten one, Ying Yuanxing wouldn’t have accepted the second. Xuan Ying would’ve skipped the first.

Ying Yuanxing noticed a hopeful glint in Xuan Ying’s eyes—as if this strawberry was a gift to please him.

"Spit it out, what do you want my help with?" Ying Yuanxing said.

Xuan Ying blinked—bingo.

"I’m afraid you’ll be upset if I say it," Xuan Ying replied.

"Is it illegal or a crime?"

Xuan Ying shook his head.

"Will it hurt me or screw me over?"

Xuan Ying shook his head again.

"Then what is it?" Ying Yuanxing prodded.

"You’ll be upset if I say it," Xuan Ying repeated.

"So, you’re telling me because you want me to know and agree to it." Ying Yuanxing’s mouth quirked, but after glancing at the strawberry, he caved. "Fine, I agree. As long as it’s not illegal or harmful, go ahead."

With Ying Yuanxing’s promise, Xuan Ying’s excitement lit up like Christmas, making Ying Yuanxing curious about what he was planning.

Perhaps as thanks for the promise, Xuan Ying spent the entire day plucking seeds from strawberries with tweezers. When Ying Yuanxing returned later, he saw a small bottle of strawberry seeds Xuan Ying had set aside and immediately urged him to rest.

After sending Xuan Ying off, Ying Yuanxing passed out, oblivious to the unusually intense gaze Xuan Ying fixed on him.

But while Ying Yuanxing didn’t notice, the audience did—Xuan Ying’s freaky energy spike was impossible to ignore.

"What’s he planning?"

"I’m a little scared—what does Xuan Ying want? Wasn’t everything fine before?"

"It should be okay, right?"

"But he’s way too amped up. I remember Weirds only go this nuts when hunting or feeding, so..."

As the audience debated, the screen gradually darkened. A weird-ass fog enveloped the cabin, blotting out the feed.