Chapter 26 - Stay Strong, My Friend

Chapter 26: Stay Strong, My Friend

Lingzi couldn’t take it anymore and nudged the fat man. “Alright, stop bullying Yifei-jie. This is all Chen Yuze’s fault.”

“Bullying Yifei-jie?” Chen Yuze cried injustice, looking at Hu Yifei. “If anything, she’s the one bullying us. Even with two extra guts, I wouldn’t dare cross her.”

“Oh? Do you have complaints?” Hu Yifei’s gaze locked onto Chen Yuze. Old Hu and the fat man twitched when they noticed the soup spoon in her hand—now bent out of shape. And she’d done it with one hand. That grip strength was no joke.

Chen Yuze noticed too and immediately shrunk back. “N-no! No complaints! Being bullied by Yifei-jie is an honor. How could I possibly object?”

“Good. Then eat.” Satisfied, Yifei bent the spoon back into shape and resumed her meal. Old Hu and the fat man instinctively scooted away, fearing they might end up like that spoon. They shot Chen Yuze a sympathetic look—

“Stay strong, my friend. Living with someone like this must be exhausting.”

“You two got something to say?” Yifei caught their exchange.

“Nope, nothing! Man, these instant noodles are amazing. Where’d you even get this?” They shoveled food into their mouths, desperately changing the subject.

Yifei narrowed her eyes. “Then why’d you move away? Am I not pretty enough?”

“Pretty! You’re the prettiest girl we’ve ever seen! It’s just… a little hot over here. We’re sitting further back to catch the breeze. No other reason, really!” the fat man babbled.

Chen Yuze realized Yifei had some kind of domination aura. Everyone around her instinctively submitted to her presence—like a queen. Even Old Hu and the fat man, who’d only known her for a day, were already under her thumb. It was like a cheat code.

Yifei rolled her eyes and kept eating. She had bigger things on her mind—like exploring that ancient tomb. The thought of an adventure like this thrilled her. Back in the Love Apartment, she never had chances like this. Now? She could go wild. Blow things up if she wanted (not that she would). And best of all—no consequences. They could just ditch afterward and return home.

“Oh, right—Yuze, how long can we stay this time?” Yifei finally remembered to ask.

Chen Yuze checked the system in his mind. “If we complete the mission, we get seven days. But we can leave early if we want. Consider it downtime. Future trips might last months, though.”

“Bro, you in a hurry? Need help with something?” Old Hu picked up on the subtext.

“Nah, we just sneaked out this time. Got friends waiting for us back home. Gotta bring ‘em some local specialties as souvenirs.”

“Then you’re in luck! Lingzi’s a local—she knows where to find the good stuff. Hell, we can even get you some ginseng. The ‘Three Treasures of the Northeast’—ginseng, sable fur, and deer antler. Lingzi’s family’s got ‘em all,” the fat man boasted casually.

Yifei blinked at Lingzi. “All of them? Aren’t those super expensive?”

Honestly, even Chen Yuze was impressed. Wild versions of all three were rare even in his world—let alone Yifei’s. It wasn’t about money (the Love Apartment crew were well-off, and Yifei was practically elite). But these? Even cash couldn’t guarantee you’d see them.

“What’s the big deal? They’re just local products. This mountain’s got everything. ‘Live off the land, thrive off the water.’ We might not have much else, but these? Plenty. I’ll pack the best for you, Yifei-jie. Got an old ginseng root at home too—you can take it.”

Lingzi’s generosity stunned both Yifei and Chen Yuze. Now this was a real tycoon.

Then again, it made sense. This place wasn’t industrialized yet. These “treasures” were everywhere, but people were too busy surviving to care about luxuries. No inflated prices, no rarity. Meanwhile, back in their world? Mountains were concrete-covered, and these “treasures” were myths.

“Thanks, Lingzi! Tell me what you want—I’ll get you a spaceship if you ask,” Yifei declared, slinging an arm around her.

“I like that little knife of yours.” Lingzi pointed at the dagger on Yifei’s thigh—a system reward. Sleek, razor-sharp, and expensive (10 system points, same as a gatling gun).

“Deal. You can have it when I’m done.” Yifei agreed without hesitation. Chen Yuze suspected she hadn’t checked its value—but it was her points, her call. Maybe she wouldn’t even come back next time.

Meanwhile, the fat man dragged over the crow, grinning. “Dinner’s roasted chicken! A bit small, but hey—wild game!”

As he plucked the feathers, a foul stench filled the air. Yifei and Lingzi wrinkled their noses. Old Hu and Chen Yuze exchanged glances—something was off.

They sniffed the feathers—then smirked. Unexpected bonus.

“Ugh, this reeks! Screw plucking, just roast it whole.” The fat man tossed the crow into the fire. A bizarre, acrid stench instantly spread.