Looking around and confirming there was still no one nearby, Han Qiwu hurriedly used his hoe to fill the hole back up. If someone fell in, that would be bad, wouldn't it? Playing games is one thing, but we can't disrupt people's normal walking paths, right?
Once he got to the town, Han Qiwu treated himself to another serving of "authentic" Hong Kong-style soup dumplings. They were delicious—fragrant, spicy, and flavorful.
After finishing the meal, Han Qiwu headed to the seed shop. Once inside, the shelves were still barren—it was anyone's guess what they'd eventually stock on them in the future.
Reaching the spring-themed vending machine, Han Qiwu opened the menu and immediately laid eyes on his target.
[Cauliflower Seeds: Plant in spring, matures in twenty days, with a chance to grow into a giant cauliflower under certain conditions]
Seeing the price, Han Qiwu felt as though fate had grabbed him by the throat.
This time, fate used both hands.
"200 each? Why don't you just rob someone?! It's just a seed. Just because it might grow big, it's worth this much?" Han Qiwu stood in front of the vending machine, helplessly calculating his money.
If he stuck to his original plan, even buying just twelve seeds would cost 2,400 gold. To increase his chances, buying three additional cauliflower seeds would cost him another 600 gold each time.
Couldn't afford it! Who would've thought cauliflower seeds would be this expensive?
If I'd known, I wouldn't have splurged on that fancy breakfast this morning.
After thinking it over for a while, Han Qiwu decided not to go all in to boost his odds. After all, he couldn't bet everything on these cauliflowers. Though the system didn't mention it, he guessed that vending machines for other seasons might also have seeds capable of producing gigantic crops.
Buying twelve seeds and increasing his odds just a little bit was enough to save face! If he couldn't grow a giant crop, he'd just eat the cauliflowers himself!
I admit there's a bit of gambling in this, but you can't spoil a system !
A resolute Han Qiwu left the seed shop with seeds in hand and a completely empty wallet.
Oh, right—Han Qiwu didn't even have a wallet.
All he had was a four-digit number starting with "1."
When will the day come that I finally meet you, my chicken coop?
Han Qiwu pedaled towards the blacksmith shop at high speed. After being hit with the double whammy of the chicken coop and cauliflower seed prices, Han Qiwu deeply felt the urgency of making money.
If I don't earn a few thousand soon, I won't even be able to afford a tea egg!
Arriving at the blacksmith shop, Han Qiwu jogged in. His hand already gripped the copper ore he had dug up.
"I'm here to turn in the task!" Han Qiwu placed the copper ore on the counter. "This is the copper ore I mined. Can I learn the method to forge a furnace now?"
The blacksmith shop was sweltering. Waves of heat surged towards Han Qiwu's face.
As he waited, his mind wandered aimlessly.
"How much wood does this kind of heat have to burn through? Should I hook him up with natural gas and save the wood for building my chicken coop?"
The thought died as soon as it was born.
The reason was simple—Han Qiwu probably couldn't even afford the gas bill.
Selling the chicken coop wouldn't cover it either.
"What's the rush? Let me have a look." Gongshu Zi slowly walked out from behind the counter. Strangely enough, even though Han Qiwu had heard the clanging sounds of forging, Gongshu Zi wasn't sweating at all. He was even wearing a jacket that puffed out slightly.
"Could it be... True Qi?" Han Qiwu was a little envious. If he mastered True Qi, chopping trees would definitely be much easier. Who knows, maybe he could even unlock a side game where he fished in rivers or fought sharks in the ocean.
"The quality is mediocre, but it's enough for practice. Come in, I'll teach you how to forge a furnace." Gongshu Zi nodded as he opened the counter's gate.
Han Qiwu felt a bit excited inside. So the forging aspect of this game actually requires hands-on work!
Does this mean I have a chance to forge a legendary sword?
Wait, forget swords. If I'm forging, I should be making farming tools! Tractors, waterwheels, combine harvesters, automatic seeders—you're all mine!
"Put on this air-conditioned jacket. The temperature in here is pretty high." Gongshu Zi pulled out a jacket similar to the one he was wearing and handed it to Han Qiwu.
"Air-conditioned... jacket???" Han Qiwu was utterly baffled. What's going on? Wasn't it because of your overwhelming True Qi that you were unaffected by the heat? That's how it works in wuxia novels!
Wearing an air-conditioned jacket isn't exactly heroic.
"I'm wearing one too. These modern inventions are so clever—practical, effective, and affordable. What a wonderful age we live in," Gongshu Zi said with a smile as he handed over the jacket. While talking, he also started assessing Han Qiwu's physique.
Who would've thought Gongshu Zi even browsed Taobao?
Cool air from the jacket, on the other hand, had arrived.
To be fair, the little jacket was surprisingly comfortable once you put it on. A cool draft relentlessly tickled his armpits.
After sizing up Han Qiwu, Gongshu Zi shook his head. "You're not physically strong enough. Forging could be a bit tough for you. Take a look at the blueprints first."
Han Qiwu nodded and went to examine the blueprints. He listened to Gongshu Zi's explanation while quietly memorizing them.
[Congratulations on completing the task: First Time Forging]
[You've learned the forging method for "furnaces."]
[The Forging System is now unlocked.]
[While forging, you can choose between manual mode and automatic mode.]
[Automatic Mode: The system consumes materials to automatically forge items. Item quality is normal, and the time spent is fixed.]
[Manual Mode: Players forge items manually at the blacksmith shop. Item quality varies, and the time spent depends on the player's proficiency.]
[Note: Fire safety is everyone's responsibility.]
"You can even choose a forging mode?" Han Qiwu's eyes lit up. This Forging System seemed pretty interesting.
Manual mode for innovation, automatic mode for stability—balancing both sounded like a national development plan... Why does this feel like a speech?
Whatever, I'll try manual mode first. Who knows, maybe I'll create a Godly Furnace of Supreme Dominance!
Han Qiwu's daydream didn't last long—not because Gongshu Zi interrupted him, but because seeing the "furnace" manual forging method obliterated his dreams.
"What even is this blueprint?"
"Do I seriously need to forge a crucible inside it too?"
"And what do these numbers mean?"
Han Qiwu was stunned. This manual mode was way too hardcore!
He had expected some hands-on teaching, but instead, they just handed him the blueprints and left him to it.
Is this "brainstorm mode" or something?
"The furnace is still a bit advanced for you. Just understand the blueprints for now. For someone at your level, starting with woodworking is more realistic," Gongshu Zi said cheerfully, satisfied with Han Qiwu's bewildered expression.
So you were doing this on purpose, huh?
Your seniority wins, so you're always right!
"The furnace on the right side of the counter is yours now. Once you've gathered enough copper ingots, come back to upgrade your tools," Gongshu Zi said casually.