Chapter 84 - 80: Day 16 Settlement
"We’re not exactly short on food at home." Deng Guang shook his head. "We’re a team now. It’s not right to keep all the good stuff for myself. Besides, Brother Qin was the one who arranged this. It’s the first day, and everyone sat around for so long without getting anything. It wouldn’t be right for me to be the only one to bring some fish back."
Xiao Xuemei was exasperated and didn’t want to argue with Deng Guang over something like this. "Fine. You’re the head of the household, anyway. You can just decide for yourself."
Hearing this, Deng Guang got up and walked over to his wife. He wrapped his arm around her slender waist, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered, "You’re the real head of the household. I’ll discuss it with you first next time."
Xiao Xuemei huffed lightly. "That’s more like it."
Sitting on the sofa, Deng Wen let out a deep sigh. ’Enough with the PDA.’
...
"You have successfully survived in the wilderness for a sixteenth day. Today, you traded for some refined salt, crafted a Beast Trap, and rented fishing gear to catch a few fish... Comprehensive Score: 20 points."
"You have received your reward: [Building Card] Level 1 Water Wheel, [Building Card] Level 1 Tavern."
After waking up, he checked the daily settlement as usual.
Two new Building Cards: one Water Wheel and one Tavern.
The Level 1 Water Wheel was useless for now, so just like the Stable, it was shelved.
’But a tavern is a place for drinking, isn’t it? That’s a bit too extravagant. Where would I get the grain to brew wine right now?’
Based on his years of gaming experience, taverns were usually places to recruit heroes.
Qin Ziwen’s expression flickered.
He took out the Level 1 Tavern card.
It required a 6x7 meter area to be used, which was a fairly large space.
Only the mining area behind the guest bedroom could accommodate a space that large.
’But putting it in the mining area just doesn’t feel right.’
’If only I could move things around. I’d be able to plan the layout of these buildings and resource points much better.’
He went out to the balcony and chose to use a Blank Expansion Card on the balcony area.
A white light enveloped the area. When it faded...
A large, empty area now extended out from the balcony. To his surprise, he discovered that this new area and the "mining area" outside the guest bedroom had actually connected.
The two spaces had merged into one. The new extension stretched out to both sides, reaching a total width of thirty meters, far exceeding the original boundaries of his Home.
He walked out and went all the way to the right end. Looking back, he saw only a gray void behind him. ’It seems each Home’s extended space is independent.’
He chose to use the Tavern card.
On the empty ground to his front right, light enveloped a large area.
When the light faded, a small tavern with a strong rustic style had appeared.
From the outside, it looked like an ordinary house that had been converted. It had earthen walls and a thatched roof. A blue cloth tavern banner hung over the entrance. The two flaps of the banner came together to form the character for "wine" in the middle. A long pole stuck out from under the eaves, with a paper lantern hanging from it.
Inside, there were four low tables, each with a low stool. There were window openings near the top of all four walls, and a large window to the right of the main entrance provided excellent light.
The counter was to the left of the entrance, with a cabinet standing behind it.
Four large jars of wine sat on the counter.
Following the counter with his eyes, he saw a small door at the far end, covered by a white curtain.
He slipped through the small door. The kitchen behind it was about seven or eight square meters. A stack of firewood was piled in a corner, the floor was made of packed yellow earth, and the earthen stove was very clean. A large iron wok sat on top of it, and a cleaver stood on the cutting board nearby.
There were also two long-spouted iron kettles on the stovetop, probably for boiling tea or warming wine.
’The place is a little bare.’
’And there’s no one here. Not even a waiter, let alone a Shopkeeper.’
’Could this tavern really just be a place to eat?’
"Is the shopkeeper in?"
A voice suddenly came from outside.
Qin Ziwen instinctively became alert. The voice was unfamiliar and didn’t belong to anyone from his home.
"Excuse me, is the shopkeeper here?"
The man’s voice from outside was gentle.
Qin Ziwen pushed aside the curtain and walked into the tavern proper. Behind the entrance curtain stood a man in ancient-style clothing—a light gray scholar’s robe and a cloth cap, with a woven bamboo book box on his back. He was observing the tavern’s decor.
He looked just like a scholar from a TV drama on his way to the capital for the imperial examinations.
When he saw Qin Ziwen’s attire, a flicker of surprise crossed the scholar’s eyes. He clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute and gave a slight nod.
"Shopkeeper, do you have any cooked food here? I’ve been traveling all night and I’m a bit hungry." The scholar rubbed his stomach, looking a little shy.
"Cooked food... Just a moment. Do you drink?" Qin Ziwen quickly got into character. This tavern was his, and some scholar had just appeared out of nowhere asking for food.
’Could this be the recruitment requirement?’ Qin Ziwen thought he understood.
"I do not drink," the scholar said, waving his hands repeatedly.
Qin Ziwen urged him again and again, "Alright, I’ll go get you something to eat. Don’t you go anywhere."
He left the tavern and rushed straight to the living room, where he found the small bread rolls in a box.
’An ancient, huh? Time to taste some modern technology and additives!’
He tore open the packaging, cut the bread rolls in half with a knife, and arranged four halves on a plate in an elegant presentation.
"Bread’s here~"
Pushing aside the curtain, he saw the scholar had already placed his book box on the floor and was sitting properly on the low stool.
Looking at the bread placed before him, the scholar let out a soft "Huh?" "Shopkeeper, what is this?"
"Dali Garden bread rolls."
The scholar took a pair of bamboo chopsticks from his book box and carefully picked up a piece of the bread. He sniffed it first, and his eyes lit up when he caught the aroma. Then, he took a small bite.
As he chewed slowly, the scholar couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement, "Shopkeeper, this Dali Garden is truly exquisite! I’ve never eaten such a delicious sweet pastry."
Qin Ziwen sat down as well, propping one hand on the low table and leaning forward. "So, are you willing to stay? You can have delicious food like this every day."
The scholar froze, his chopsticks still holding the bread. He looked up at Qin Ziwen in terror.
"Wha-what was that?! Sh-Shopkeeper, what is the meaning of this?"
Seeing the scholar’s panicked expression, Qin Ziwen instantly knew he had said the wrong thing. ’Is my affinity not high enough?’
He was baffled. ’Isn’t this tavern supposed to be a place to recruit people?’
’It can’t be that these people just show up to freeload off me, right?!’
’No, that’s not right. If people can appear, there must be a purpose for it. These are ancients. Maybe I need to use an ancient method.’
After a moment of contemplation, Qin Ziwen clasped his hands in a salute. "May I ask what dynasty this is, and what year?"
The scholar put down his chopsticks, his hand stealthily moving to his book box. "The seventh year of the Heshun era of the Great Yong dynasty."
’Great Yong? The hell? I’ve never heard of it.’
Qin Ziwen froze.
While he was stunned, the scholar grabbed his book box and bolted for the tavern entrance.
His movements were so agile, completely belying his frail appearance.
Qin Ziwen quickly moved to intercept him, grabbing hold of the scholar’s book box.
The scholar struggled with him for a moment, but realizing he wasn’t as strong as Qin Ziwen and fearing accomplices might arrive, he let go and plunged through the door curtain.
Qin Ziwen chased after the scholar’s retreating figure. Beyond the door curtain was the empty, blank expansion area, but the scholar was already gone without a trace.
"Damn it! You didn’t pay! You dined and dashed!"
Dejected, Qin Ziwen returned to the tavern and found that the book box he had snatched was still on the ground; it hadn’t vanished along with the scholar.
"Hiss... So, stuff I grab from them gets left behind? Is this tavern supposed to be some kind of clip joint?"
...
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