Dust Settles

Cheng Shuili picked up the item to check its detailed description.

【Silver Piercing Bullet】

【Description: A specially crafted bullet once used long ago to deal with vampires! The material is sufficiently unique, meaning this item does not fall under the category of physical attacks. Once fired, it automatically pursues the target, ignoring all of the target's defensive measures! Using it requires consuming a large amount of supplies! Additionally, after each use, it requires one week to recharge before it can be used again. Current remaining uses: 2/3】

This was definitely the item.

Cheng Shuili glanced at it a few times before putting it away. She also kept the safe that held it.

Since Li Changyou was going to die anyway, it was better for her to accept these things than to let the system reclaim them.

Seeing Cheng Shuili open the safe with his own eyes, Li Changyou looked as if his worldview had shattered. His eyes were vacant, and he stopped struggling, only mumbling to himself in a low, repetitive voice.

Su Rui leaned in to listen. "Monster... monster... she cheated, she must have cheated..."

Hah.

It seemed the blow was too great for him to accept.

Su Rui turned to look at Cheng Shuili, who was picking through Li Changyou's truck, collecting anything that might be of use.

Watching her efficiency, one might think this was her own vehicle.

Su Rui grumbled internally, but her gaze remained fixed on Li Changyou.

This guy was too calculating; who knew if he had other tricks up his sleeve? It was definitely better to stay on guard!

If not for the fact that the Boss still needed to use the item, Su Rui would have wanted to blow his head off right then and there. The old man had caused so much trouble, making her follow Cheng Shuili through highway merges all day long.

Su Rui checked the time and couldn't help but sigh again.

Perhaps their bad luck for the day had finally run out, as no further complications arose.

When they returned to the territory, it had already been prepared by the members of Black Feather.

The sky over the territory was near dusk, but the open space around the ancient castle was now brightly lit and bustling with voices.

The long table from inside the castle had been cleaned and set out, covered with a clean sheet and laden with an array of food in disposable containers!

Xinxue had been chatting with a few people, but upon seeing Cheng Shuili, she immediately raised her hand to greet her, "Boss!"

Her shout was so loud that it drew everyone's attention.

"The Boss is back!"

"Sister Su Rui!"

Greetings rang out one after another. The previously noisy venue went quiet for a moment before erupting into even more enthusiastic cheers.

Many people gathered around, their faces beaming with excitement and concern.

"Boss! You are truly amazing. If it weren't for the rocket launcher, we would have been finished this time!"

"Move aside, move aside. Who do you think the Boss is? Even without the rocket launcher, we could still have beaten them!"

Jiang Tang squeezed to the front, her eyes sparkling: "Boss, can we eat now?"

Cheng Shuili: "..."

Well, no need for useless chatter.

Having been an employee herself, she knew how annoying pre-meal speeches could be, so she immediately waved her hand and announced:

"Eat up!"

With those two words, the atmosphere on site was immediately pushed to another climax!

The seating had been arranged by Xinxue in advance, and everyone took their places in an orderly fashion.

Cheng Shuili sat at the head of the center table, with Su Rui and Wanyi on either side, and Xinxue and the others at the same table.

Everyone was roughly the same age, making the meal quite lively.

Cheng Shuili had a special status and didn't intend to join their small talk. She was just burying her head in her food when Wanyi suddenly smiled and placed a piece of charred, fragrant meat onto Cheng Shuili's plate: "Try this. Before, we only had frozen meat from the refrigerator; it's rare to get a chance to eat fresh meat."

Cheng Shuili didn't eat it immediately but asked: "Fresh meat?"

Before Wanyi could speak, Jiang Tang leaned over from the side, shouting as if to claim credit: "Boss! It's me! The trap you made for me caught prey again! A little pig! Sister Wanyi said we could use that pig for tonight's meat dishes!"

"A little pig?" Xinxue also leaned over. "It's not little at all; it's nearly a hundred pounds! Averaged out, every member of Black Feather can get a pound of meat. Our Piggy sister has done another great service!"

Jiang Tang wanted to retort, but seeing that the two were about to bicker again, Cheng Shuili nodded approvingly: "Well done."

The simple words made Jiang Tang beam, her entire expression brightening.

Wanyi didn't mind their squabbling; she picked up a ladle and served Cheng Shuili a bowl of soup: "It's been simmering all afternoon, want to try it?"

A rich aroma wafted over. Cheng Shuili took the bowl, looking at the milky white broth and the chunks of meat stewed until tender.

She scooped up a spoonful of soup and brought it to her lips. The warm liquid, filled with the rich flavor of the meat, melted on her tongue, making her squint her eyes involuntarily.

"Delicious."

It was rare for Cheng Shuili to give such a direct evaluation, and Wanyi immediately smiled: "I knew you would like it."

Cheng Shuili returned the smile, then drank her soup quietly, listening to the lively discussion among the members at the table.

The bustling celebration banquet lasted until the moon was high in the sky.

The air was filled with the lingering aroma of food and laughter. Members cleaned up the aftermath in twos and threes, their faces showing both satisfaction and exhaustion.

Cheng Shuili returned to her vehicle and pushed open the window. The cool night breeze blew away the stuffiness inside and cleared her head, which had become drowsy from the meal. She leaned against the window, her gaze landing on the monsters outside the protective barrier.

Too much had happened today, from the siege by the Anti-Black Feather Alliance to the conspiracies and assassinations by Dragon Soul, and finally Li Changyou's escape and ultimate execution...

Everything was linked, leaving one almost breathless.

Fortunately, the final result was good.

After this series of events, the prestige of Black Feather had not only remained intact but had been established with an even more formidable stance.

The voices in the regional channel eager to join were the best proof.

Cheng Shuili lowered her eyes, her fingers gently rubbing the Abyss Ring as she took stock of the day's gains.

Aside from the Silver Piercing Bullet, there were large quantities of basic materials and cards scavenged from Li Changyou and the warehouses of the wiped-out factions, and...

Most importantly, the territories that had merged in.

Although they were time-limited, she still had to have Zhou Zhuxing see if they could be used for farming.

It couldn't go to waste.

"Phew..."

Cheng Shuili let out a long breath, temporarily suppressing her complex thoughts.

She closed the window and lay down on the soft bed.

The exhaustion of her body washed over her like a tide, and her consciousness soon drifted away.

At noon the next day, after Cheng Shuili finished lunch, she went to check on the territory again.

Except for the medical station, all other facilities were being put to use, especially the training ground. Not to mention the members, even Cheng Shuili loved it.

The books brought by the upgrades were truly no different from martial arts manuals.

Although they were all introductory teaching materials, in this world fraught with crisis, any improvement in combat technique could determine life or death.

Cheng Shuili had practiced here all morning and had managed to memorize all the moves.

According to Su Rui, she was still a long way from true mastery.

However, the training ground wasn't going anywhere; she could practice slowly.

Watching several members who weren't naturally skilled at close-quarters combat practicing their chopping movements clumsily but earnestly against the wooden posts, Cheng Shuili couldn't help but curl her eyes gently.

The biggest advantage of the training ground was that everything it taught was systematic.

What Su Rui taught was scattered and disorganized; if not for Cheng Shuili's innate talent, she might have learned nothing at all!

The claim of innate talent was, of course, Cheng Shuili's own assessment, but that was unimportant.

She read through the 《Basic Blade Technique Mastery》 once more, confirmed she remembered every detail, put the book back on the shelf, and opened the building upgrade page to check again.

Among these faction buildings, the one requiring the most materials was this training ground!

But regarding its function, Cheng Shuili could fully understand. Aside from slow accumulation, there was no other way.

She sighed softly and, having used up the daily limit for the Taotie Furnace, was just about to return to her vehicle when Zhou Zhuxing's slightly urgent voice came from behind: "Boss!"

Cheng Shuili turned to see Zhou Zhuxing walking over quickly, holding the small notebook she used for recording, her expression solemn.

"What's wrong?"

"We're running out of seeds." Zhou Zhuxing opened the notebook and pointed to the numbers recorded on it. "The soil conditions in the newly merged territories are better than I expected. We have more people now, and the reclamation speed is fast. But the seeds I brought, especially for staple crops, can only support planting in two of the plots. The remaining land... if we can't replenish the seeds in time, it will have to be left fallow for now."

She paused, her tone tinged with regret: "It's such a waste; those are good plots of land."

Cheng Shuili frowned slightly.

The territory had expanded, the planting area had increased, but the seeds were the bottleneck. How could that be allowed?

"Have you checked the trading channel?" Cheng Shuili asked.

"I asked Xinxue," Zhou Zhuxing shook her head. "Xinxue said these are rare items. Occasionally, there are scattered sales, but the quantity is too small, and the prices are driven very high—it's just a drop in the bucket. And those sellers, like Yu Bing and me, were all selling seedlings; there's really no need to buy them."

Indeed.

Cheng Shuili pondered for a moment and felt that there was no other way besides making a trip to the beastman town.

"Where exactly in the beastman town is the old gardener who gave you the seeds before?"

"Are you going to look for her?" Zhou Zhuxing seemed a bit worried. After thinking for a moment, she revealed everything: "That old woman has a strange temper, especially regarding guests who come empty-handed. If you go, Boss, you have to bring some fruit, and it has to be fresh."

Cheng Shuili nodded, calculating in her heart. It just so happened that there were freshly ripened strawberries in the sunroom. She would pick them once she found the place so they wouldn't lose their freshness.

"And the address?"

"Go through the fountain plaza in the center of the town, walk to the end of the narrowest stone-paved alley where the wear is most severe. The door with a string of dried berries and a few bundles of withered wheat ears hanging on it is the one."

Cheng Shuili noted the address and said to Zhou Zhuxing: "I see. I'll handle this. You go organize the manpower and plant whatever land can be sown."

Zhou Zhuxing let out a sigh of relief and nodded firmly: "Okay, Boss!"

Cheng Shuili returned to her vehicle, installed the radio battery, and lay down on the sofa nearby.

It has to be the beastman town!

She had visited all the other special buildings; surely, by pity, it was the beastman town's turn?

As if hearing her inner voice, after a period of silence, the radio finally emitted that familiar, slightly static-filled broadcast:

【...Static... Static... Beastman Town... Welcomes the visit of all players...】

Very good! The pity didn't fail!

Cheng Shuili notified Su Rui and waited to arrive.

Following Zhou Zhuxing's directions, Cheng Shuili first went to the territory to pick a dozen of the reddest, plumpest strawberries, wrapped them in a clean soft cloth, and only then raised her hand to knock on the door.

A rustling sound came from inside, and after a while, the door creaked open, revealing a crack.

A wrinkled old face poked out, her cloudy yellow eyes scanning Cheng Shuili and Su Rui up and down with undisguised scrutiny.

This was an elderly badger-race beastman.

"Who is it? Disturbing an old woman's rest."

Her voice was hoarse and impatient, and the expression on her face matched.

But Cheng Shuili had been prepared, so she was naturally not surprised.

"Hello," she said in a calm tone. "Zhou Zhuxing recommended we come to you."

"Zhou Zhuxing?" The old woman squinted, seemingly recalling something. "Oh... that little human girl with some talent."

Her gaze swept over Cheng Shuili and Su Rui's hands again. Seemingly disappointed by not seeing what she expected, she squinted her eyes and said bluntly: "Didn't she tell you what to bring when visiting an old woman?"

As she spoke, she made to close the door.

Cheng Shuili, unhurried, gently lifted a corner of the soft cloth in her hand. The unique, fresh, sweet fragrance of the strawberries instantly wafted out, appearing exceptionally alluring in the alley filled with old, musty smells.

The old woman's movements froze. Her nose even twitched vigorously twice, followed by a glimmer of light in her cloudy yellow eyes.

She stared at the splash of red, her throat rolling once.

Cheng Shuili was now reassured; it seemed Zhou Zhuxing hadn't been wrong at all.

"...Come in."

The old woman's tone softened significantly, though it still couldn't be called warm, she at least opened the door completely.

Cheng Shuili and Su Rui exchanged a glance and followed her in.

The interior was dim and filled with a distinct medicinal scent.

The place was messy, piled high with all kinds of cloth bags, earthenware jars, and drying plant roots, stems, and leaves, appearing chaotic yet somehow organized in its own way.

The old badger-race woman sat down on a low stool covered in animal hide, her gaze still fixed on the strawberries in Cheng Shuili's hand.

Seemingly unable to resist the temptation, she swallowed her saliva before saying: "Speak up, what seeds do you want?"

"All of them, the more the better."

Cheng Shuili placed the strawberries on an empty wooden box between them as a greeting gift.

The old woman reached out with withered fingers, picked up a strawberry, examined it carefully, and sniffed it before humming with satisfaction.

"Good quality... It seems your territory has some skill. But young people, having too big an appetite makes it easy to burst."

The old woman slowly set the strawberry down without eating it immediately, instead fixing Cheng Shuili with those cloudy yellow eyes.

"The seeds I have here aren't pebbles on the side of the road that you can just take as many as you want. Besides, I don't sell to just anyone who walks in. Looking at the quality of these strawberries, your territory has the capability to plant them."