***
A crow suddenly flew across the sky…
Silence blanketed the Red Pine Forest today…
Wu Guanyue’s behavior was so bizarre that even their opponent, the Living Pine Tree, was stunned. After several breaths, its crown suddenly began shaking violently, and its roots started slapping the ground with a series of smacks.
Eldest Brother Li: “…………”
Eldest Brother Li: “………………”
Was it just his imagination, or had he really been mocked by a tree?
Wuyun and Third Brother Li stared dumbfoundedly at Wu Guanyue as she went fishing…
Wu Guanyue suddenly turned around and declared righteously, “What are you standing around for? Come lend me a hand!”
Li Sanlang: “Ah! …Ah… uh… mm…”
Li Sanlang had failed to comprehend the profound meaning of the expert’s words. Ashamed, he said, “Please enlighten us, Senior!”
Wu Guanyue put on a solemn expression. “Put fish on my hook!”
Li Sanlang: “…………”
Black Cloud Cat: “…………”
Li Sanlang: “………… I see!”
Black Cloud Cat: “………… Meow-woof, meow-woof, gurgle-gurgle?!”
Li Sanlang and Wu Guanyue both turned to stare at Wuyun!
Wuyun: “…………”
A string of incomprehensible curses came from Wuyun’s triangular mouth. It shook itself furiously, kicked off with its hind legs, and leaped into the frigid pool!
Wuyun had mastered the art of controlling water without instruction, so diving into the frigid pool to put fish on the angler’s hook was naturally no challenge at all.
The moment Wuyun entered the water, its entire body stretched out long, swimming in a wave-like motion… It actually bore a faint resemblance to a swimming dragon. It extended its little paws and slapped a crucian carp unconscious, then carried it in its mouth and hung it on Wu Guanyue’s hook…
[Obtained: Crucian Carp (Gold Star)!]
[Obtained: Catfish (Gold Star)!]
[Obtained: Sturgeon (Gold Star)!]
Wu Guanyue was positively floating with joy… It seemed there really was a reason anglers dreamed of becoming divers who could put fish on their own hooks…
Still, she didn’t forget to count the catch!
Four, five, six…
The Living Pine Tree’s crown began to rustle and shake!
Seven…
Even the pine needles on its crown were trembling violently!
Eight…
“Not good! It’s about to use that move again!” Second Brother Li cried out in terror.
Nine… Now!
The fishing hook shot high into the air, glittering brilliantly in the sunlight!
“Wuyun! Water tornado!”
Wu Guanyue shouted her command with all her strength!
The black cat leaped from the pool like a fish!
Its fur was completely soaked, sleek and glossy in the sunlight like a giant sea cucumber, while all four of its paws had spread open like plum blossoms—
“Meow—guh—!”
It let out a desperate howl, using up the last trace of its true qi!
A water tornado surged into the sky, roaring forward like a silver dragon. Waterweeds and fish tumbled within it, and at that very moment, Wu Guanyue’s hook flew out and precisely snagged a clump of waterweed—
[[Wu Guanyue] triggered the [Thunderstruck Wooden Fishing Rod]’s [Thunder Force] effect!]
No one could say exactly how thunderous this move was, nor could anyone say why it had come about in the first place.
The roaring water tornado, wrapped in blue-violet light, slammed heavily into the Living Pine Tree!
The magnificent thunder pierced through the trunk in an instant, filling it with a cacophony of crackles and pops. The entire crown writhed wildly, while the roots that had thrust up from underground danced like demons.
But the lightning had already ignited the tree, causing the trunk to burn from within. The flames would not stop until the tree was dead.
—Thunder belonged to fire, and fire naturally countered wood.
Water could nourish wood, but it could also carry thunder. The myriad things in the world were born to support and restrain one another; that relationship had always been so flexible.
Wuyun stared blankly at the Living Pine Tree as it struggled madly.
For a moment, it had thought it was going to die.
It couldn’t help looking toward the human who could remain calm even in the midst of danger.
That person stood exactly where she was, calmly watching the burning Living Pine, as if this were precisely what had been meant to happen.
Wuyun’s round eyes gradually filled with respect.
Wu Guanyue let out an “Aah!” and charged forward, then crouched on the ground and began frantically scooping up everything in sight and stuffing it into her sleeves.
Wuyun: “…………”
Wuyun tilted its head, seemingly a little confused.
The three sons of the Li family, however, were quick to catch on. Seeing what was happening, they called to one another and helped Wu Guanyue gather the scattered loot.
After a while, Wuyun obediently joined the looting operation as well.
***
Wu Guanyue discovered that this game’s item-pickup system was incredibly realistic… Realistic in the sense that every single dropped item had to be picked up individually; nothing stacked automatically.
Fortunately, the NPCs’ helpfulness made up for it.
Two woodcutters and a young man were helping her pick up the [Living Pine Needles] scattered all over the ground. Wuyun even had a small pile of pinecones balanced on its head, wobbling as it ran toward her and dropping them one by one along the way… So cute!
The NPCs’ reactions were also genuinely intelligent and perfectly responsive. Just watching Wuyun coordinate with her made her feel as though she were playing an online game and running a dungeon with her teammates…
So this was the power of real-time AI computation… What exhilarating gameplay!
The loot was equally exhilarating!
[Obtained: [Matsutake Mushrooms] ×88!]
[Obtained: [Pine Frost Candy] ×35!]
[Obtained: [Frost Pinecones] ×99!]
[Obtained: [Pine Pollen] ×99!]
[Obtained: [Thunderstruck Wood] ×25!]
[Obtained: [Living Pine Needles] ×999!]
[Obtained: [Living Pine Needles] ×999!]
[Obtained: [Everbright Pine Resin] ×78!]
The player has struck it rich~ The player has struck it rich~ The player has struck it rich~
Most of the Living Pine Tree’s drops were ingredients. Matsutake mushrooms could be sliced and grilled over charcoal for a delicious meal, while pine pollen could be wrapped around rice cakes to make pine-scented pastry balls that were packed with fragrance…
As for the [Pine Frost Candy] and [Frost Pinecones], both came with the [Frost-Cool] effect. They were exactly what Wu Guanyue needed!
As for the Living Pine Needles—the item she had obtained the most of—well, Wu Guanyue had no idea what they were for.
But who cared? As long as her inventory had room, she would take everything back with her!
And finally, she didn’t forget to talk to the NPCs.
Naturally, the NPCs’ reactions were perfectly standard: the usual dialogue about how they could never repay her great kindness. Li Sanlang even gave her a straw-woven Wuyun as a quest reward, which Wu Guanyue happily accepted.
The Living Pine Tree had already dropped an astonishing amount of loot. She hadn’t expected much from an NPC who looked this ordinary, so receiving a limited-edition accessory was already quite nice.
Eldest Brother Li and Second Brother Li, however, broke out in cold-sweat bubbles above their heads when they saw the straw-woven Wuyun.
After learning that she had opened an inn in the city and was short on ingredients, Eldest Brother Li said that their family were farmers from a mountain hollow nearby. If she needed them, they could deliver fresh ingredients to her every day.
Of course she was happy to hear that!
One more supply channel added.
And finally, there was Wuyun.
Wuyun sat primly on the ground, licked one of its paws, and gazed up at Wu Guanyue.
[Black Cat, Black Cloud: “Meow… chirp…”]
[Young Man, Third Brother Li: “Sister Wu, Wuyun says it wants to stay by your side to repay you.”]
[Woodcutter, Second Brother Li: “??? Sanlang, how did you understand that? I grew up with Wuyun, and even I can’t understand him!”]
[Young Man, Third Brother Li (scratching his head): “Anyway… I think that’s what Wuyun meant. Isn’t that right, Wuyun?”]
[Black Cat, Black Cloud: “Meow meow!”]
[Black Cat, Black Cloud] has submitted a [Job Application] to [Innkeeper Wu Guanyue]. Approve?
[Yes]
[No]
Of course, you pick yes!
[Black Cat, Black Cloud] has joined your inn. Please assign it a role!
A. Cleaning (A long-haired cat is excellent at mopping floors)
B. Fishing (A water demon can attach fish to your hook underwater)
C. Mount (You can stand on one leg on its back)
The player picks ABC!
Wu Guanyue: “So, can you mop the floors first every day, then put ten fish on my hook, and finally carry me around to increase my movement speed?”
Eldest Brother Li: “…………”
Second Brother Li: “…………”
Li Sanlang: “…………”
Black Cloud Cat: “…………”
Wuyun’s triangular mouth suddenly opened, producing a string of incomprehensible meows. Judging by the sound of it, the insults were rather nasty.
The male lead’s character design has undergone several revisions and now looks completely different from the pixel character in the protagonist panel. I’m taking that one down for now; I’ll put it back up once the new commission is finished.
