Chapter 119: All That Remained Was Resupplying Before Setting Out Toward Firefly City
In the fields near the Chinese Restaurant.
The rain was still pouring steadily.
It drummed against the raincoats in a persistent, rhythmic chatter.
Ever since morning, more and more people had been trickling into the fields to dig up wild vegetables.
Word had likely spread that this area was virtually free of mutant monsters, so after downing a cup of Mint and Lemongrass Tea, folks flocked over to forage.
With no roaming mutant beasts to fear, only the mutated insects breeding in the puddles warranted any caution.
The Mint and Lemongrass Tea remained effective for two hours—more than enough time to complete a full round trip of foraging.
The City Coins earned from a single haul of wild greens were enough to buy several cups of the brew. Anyone with basic arithmetic could see how profitable the math was.
As for getting drenched?
In past rainy seasons, the people of Seed City would have constantly fretted over catching a cold, running a fever, and ending up bedridden.
Now, though, after drinking the Ginger and Jujube Tea, warmth coursed through their entire bodies.
Once they finished foraging and headed back, they could have a cup of Chrysanthemum, Goji Berry, and Tangerine Peel Tea to dispel any lingering dampness from within.
Those willing to spend a bit extra could step inside and order a bowl of the Five-Ingredient Mushroom Soup, making catching a cold practically out of the question.
Tired after toiling in the rain? A steaming bowl of mutton soup would put the spring right back in their step!
What was more, whether it was due to the hidden buff carried by several of the beverages—a 10% boost to positive mood for twelve hours post-consumption—the scavengers in the fields were not only working up a storm, but chatting with immense gusto.
“Hear that buzzing? I just love watching them buzz around, itching to suck my blood but completely unable to get close.”
“It really is uncanny. It feels like having a personal protective barrier wrapped around you. Tell me, is this what it feels like to be an Awakener?”
“Right?! Feels like you can strut around without a care in the world!”
“Listen to you all! Real Awakeners are way more terrifying than this! On my way here earlier, a mutant monster popped up, and an Awakener simply waved their hand—sharp stone spikes shot straight out of the ground and skewered the beast on the spot!”
“Huh? How come I didn’t see that?”
“You must’ve come early, right? I only headed over after that sudden hail stopped.”
“Oh, makes sense. But… where did these Awakeners come from?”
“From the Red Flag Society and Dark Star, of course! The one conjuring spikes was likely from Red Flag—I caught a glimpse of them back when they were handing out emergency rations.”
“Wait, they have Awakeners now?”
“Yeah, they literally posted recruitment notices for Awakeners on the plaza bulletin board! You didn’t know?”
“Uh… I didn’t check the board. Wow, so Seed City has its own Awakeners now! The brass is just letting that slide?”
“They’re actively working alongside the garrison! For all we know, they might already be on the official payroll.”
“True enough… Heh, do you think we might become Awakeners one day too?”
“Dream on! Even if they aren’t official military personnel, they were already the toughest fighters from the biggest syndicates in town.”
“So what? Didn’t you see how gallantly I lured multiple swarms of mutant mosquitoes into the white light earlier? Who’s to say I won’t be wiping out monsters with a flick of my wrist in the future!”
“Tsk.”
“Can’t a person dream a little?!”
Thud-thud-thud-thud—
Mid-conversation, an unusual scuffling sound rustled from behind a nearby boulder.
“What was that?”
Someone glanced over and cried out in alarm, “A mutant monster!”
From behind the rock, a plump, red-eyed rabbit fused with a mutated carrot poked its head into view.
It stood half as tall as a grown adult, sporting razor-sharp incisors.
Its fur was thoroughly soaked by the rain. Spotting the humans, it gave its sodden coat a violent shake and charged straight toward the group—
“Holy crap, a rabbit monster! Run!”
The scavengers who had just been chatting immediately turned on their heels to bolt.
Just then, Long Ya—who had been quietly digging vegetables nearby—smoothly drew a throwing knife from her left rain boot and hurled it straight at the rabbit.
The blade struck the rabbit monster squarely on the nose. The red-eyed creature let out an agonized yowl, its headlong charge screeching to a halt.
“Run from what? Weren’t you lot just boasting about becoming Awakeners? What’s so terrifying about a stray mutant beast?”
As she spoke, she swiftly produced a second knife from her right boot and lashed it tightly to the shaft of her hoe.
Just like that, she had fashioned a crude spear.
Not far away, Long Qian wasted no words. Drawing her blade with her right hand, she uncoiled a length of sturdy hemp rope with her left and charged alongside Long Ya.
With practiced precision, Long Qian cast the lasso, looping it cleanly over the mutant rabbit’s snout.
A sharp yank clamped its jaws shut, neutralizing those lethal incisors before they could snap at anyone.
It was a tactic perfected from hunting low-tier mutant beasts around the farm perimeter over recent days.
“Whoa! Wait for me!”
From the distance, Long Shi came charging in swinging a woodcutter’s axe, with Old Hu and Geri hot on his heels.
The scavengers who had been bracing to run: “?”
Wait, there are so many of us here! Even if we pick up a scratch or two, what’s the big deal? We can just head to the Chinese Restaurant and grab a bite to patch ourselves right up!
Get in there!
Spurred on by Long Ya’s crew and buoyed by the lingering mood boost, they gripped their digging tools and swarmed the mutated rabbit.
A short distance away.
The city guards posted along the path between the farm and the restaurant spotted the commotion and reached for their sidearms.
Another guard gently pressed his companion’s arm down. “Hold your fire for a moment.”
…
Thud—
The mutated rabbit collapsed heavily into the mud.
“…It’s dead?”
“Is it really dead?”
“Holy hell! We just took down a mutant monster?!”
The scavengers who had hesitated earlier stared down in disbelief.
“Whoaaaa! We’re actually incredible!”
“Turns out mutant beasts aren’t that hard to kill after all~”
“Come on, high five!”
While they were busy celebrating, Long Qian and Geri had already begun expertly field-dressing the carcass.
“This part is yours.”
A sizable haunch of rabbit meat was carved off and tossed at their feet.
“Huh?”
“Mutant animal carcasses can be traded in for coin.”
“Wait, you can do that too?!”
Overjoyed, the group hoisted the rabbit meat onto their shoulders and sprinted happily toward the Chinese Restaurant.
Along the trail, whenever they crossed paths with familiar faces, they gesticulated wildly, recounting their grand triumph with animated bravado.
A feat this proud was impossible to keep quiet.
Before long, dozens of scavengers had heard the phrase: “Turns out mutant beasts aren’t that hard to kill after all.”
As a third group bounded past carrying a severed beast carcass with broad grins on their faces, the two sentries stationed near the farmland exchanged subtle, knowing glances.
In their eyes lay a mix of sheer astonishment and quiet marvel.
They couldn’t help but marvel at how, since the arrival of the Chinese Restaurant… the civilian populace of Seed City had undergone a profound transformation in spirit.
And a remarkably positive one at that.
…
“Ha, you should have seen it! When that mutant rabbit charged, I went right at it swinging my timber club!”
“Heh, when we bumped into that mutated potato monster, we snatched up our tools and taught it a proper lesson too!”
“…Since when did you lot become so fierce?”
“Don’t believe me? Just wait until tomorrow—I’ll drop another mutant beast right in front of your eyes!”
As the Chinese Restaurant closed its doors for the day, loud, boisterous banter could still be heard echoing along the trail back toward the settlement.
“Shh—is that… the Commander?”
Someone lightly tugged their companion’s sleeve.
“Step aside, make way. Why is the Commander leading so many troops out here? Are they heading over to eat too?”
“Judging by his expression, he might just be starving…”
Someone whispered in all seriousness.
At the West Gate, Yves had assembled his full detachment and was hurrying toward the Chinese Restaurant.
The transport convoy was staged and ready, while the Awakener strike teams and Mori’s squad were finishing muster.
All that remained was resupplying before setting out toward Firefly City.
