Chapter 208 - 175: Pheasants and Bullfrogs

Chapter 208: Chapter 175: Pheasants and Bullfrogs

At this moment, the already dim streetlights were growing even fainter as dawn approached.

One or two pedestrians began to appear on the road. There were also early commuters trudging through the struggles of daily life, walking to save a bit on bus fare.

An old tricycle CREAKED along. Stacked on it like a small mountain were several massive blocks of ice, which firmly encased bullfrogs and giant wild pheasants.

However, with dawn breaking, the ice was gradually melting.

The wheels CREAKED forward, passing through the urban district and the streets, now traveling along the edge of the city.

The melting ice water DRIP-DROPPED onto the ground, perfectly mirroring the tricycle owner’s anxious heart.

Well... they had agreed on everything, and the deposit had been paid. But before the final word could even settle, the person had vanished without a trace.

By the time he panted and pushed his way through the crowd with his tricycle, the other party had already hopped into an off-road vehicle and sped off toward the city.

So... would someone actually be there to receive the goods when he delivered them?

That was the Rose Corridor! He didn’t dare stay there for long. Even with the bus stop right there, he still felt a bit panicky.

Moreover, the girl had said that if no one was there, he should leave it in the grass behind the bus stop sign. What if she didn’t come to pick it up? The ice would melt, the meat would spoil, or it might get gnawed on by ants and bugs...

Whose responsibility would that be?

There was still a balance of 25 points to be paid! It took four hours to pedal here; this was his hard-earned money! He couldn’t afford to lose a single point.

...

That was the meat she had been anticipating for so long!

When Huai Yu first got it, she thought to herself, "Even if I have to carry the basket on my back, I’ll crawl all the way home if I must."

But who could have expected that Chen Xing would get into an accident? As a result, she completely forgot about the meat.

Now, she was entirely consumed by anxiety.

In contrast, Uncle Zaozi appeared very unbothered.

How could he not be? It was a high Mutant Value item anyway. Whenever convoys returned to the highway entrance, one could usually scavenge something like that two or three times out of ten.

Besides, it wasn’t edible.

But... wait a minute!

He frowned as a thought struck him. Was this meant as an offering to the Rose Corridor? Was it a regular tribute or something?

If the offering wasn’t made on time, would the Rose Corridor get angry and attack people?

Uncle Zaozi’s expression finally grew heavy. Seeing this, Huai Yu actually had to comfort him.

"Never mind, it’s fine. The final payment hasn’t been made yet, so he will definitely deliver it."

She checked her watch. "When it’s 7:00, I’ll go to the hospital entrance and take the bus back. I should be able to make it."

She understood the logic perfectly well; she was just too reluctant to part with all that meat. That was why she seemed so restless and anxious about losing it right now.

Afraid that Uncle Zaozi would worry, she simply hoisted her bamboo basket onto her back and urged him.

"Uncle Zaozi, you should head back! I’m going to check on my brother now, and I’ll head straight home right after."

Remembering that processing all that meat would probably take a lot of time, she asked, "This afternoon... I might not be able to make it back this afternoon. Uncle Zaozi, can you hold the fort here for a bit?"

Why wouldn’t he be able to?

Coming all the way from the Rose Corridor was such a hassle!

Uncle Zaozi had already put in the effort and paid what needed to be compensated. He certainly wasn’t going to give up halfway! He had to make sure Chen Xing maximized her gratitude toward them for this to be worth it!

He waved his hand freely. "Go ahead and get busy! We have doctors and nurses here, so don’t worry! I’ll come over and keep an eye on things this afternoon."

Aside from being unreliable when it came to food, Uncle Zaozi was actually quite trustworthy at all other times.

Huai Yu breathed a sigh of relief and turned to head to Zhou Qian’s ward.

At this hour, he was already awake. Just as he was preparing to go to the cafeteria for breakfast, he saw Huai Yu approaching. Noting her haggard and exhausted expression, he asked in surprise, "What’s wrong? Did something happen at the highway entrance yesterday?"

Huai Yu slumped her shoulders. "I’m fine. It’s just that... Sister Chen Xing and her team got into an accident."

She gave a brief account of yesterday’s events. Upon hearing it, Zhou Qian fell silent as well.

After a long while, he patted her shoulder.

"It’s okay. They narrowly escaped death; they have plenty of good luck.

"Besides, nowadays, which Explorer isn’t prepared for the worst? To meet Little Yu, and for you to be willing to spend so many points to save their lives—that’s their blessing, and it’s also destiny between you all."

At this moment, he really knew exactly what to say.

Huai Yu nodded.

Seeing that she was truly exhausted, Zhou Qian quickly handed her a cup of water. "Rest for a bit. Do you want to take a nap first?"

Huai Yu took a sip of water. Looking at the cup reminded her of the two large pitchers of ginseng tea she had left behind that day. Unable to hold back, she asked, "Brother Zhou Qian, did that ginseng tea really not have any effect at all?"

Zhou Qian lowered his eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Holding the water cup, Huai Yu became conflicted.

After a moment, she shook her head. "It’s nothing. I guess the ginseng mutated and lost its efficacy."

After pouring the ginseng tea down Fen Da’s throat, she had clearly seen something rolling under his stomach. After arriving at the hospital, although she hadn’t looked at his medical records in detail, the poster of the Ghost Orchid Fungus on the wall had inexplicably struck a chord with her...

Thinking about the two mutated barnyard grass plants by the pond, and then about Big and Second, and even the mutated ginseng that she herself had stimulated and purified!

For a moment, Huai Yu really couldn’t be sure if it actually had any special effects...

But this matter didn’t just concern Fat Ginseng; it also concerned herself. If it truly triggered the curse of Huai Bi—where possessing a treasure brings disaster...

It would be best to keep it a secret!

Having figured this out, she GULPED down the rest of her water and immediately bid Zhou Qian farewell.

"Brother Zhou Qian, I’m going back first. I’ll come over again tomorrow. Make sure you eat your fill today."

Zhou Qian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

This little girl’s visiting hours were never fixed. Sometimes she came at noon, sometimes in the afternoon, and sometimes even around 9:00 in the morning.

If she actually relied on his food to fill her stomach, she would be hungry for at least two meals a day.

At this moment, Zhou Qian merely waved his hand.

"Hurry back. I still have peaches and sweet potatoes here, so I won’t go hungry."

...

It wasn’t until Huai Yu’s figure disappeared down the corridor again that Zhou Qian’s expression reverted to its usual cold hardness. He then took wide strides toward the nurses’ station.

His current posture and powerful gait made him look completely indistinguishable from a normal person.

"Could you help me look into the condition of the four wounded patients brought in the middle of the night yesterday? They are also my friends."

Thanks to his recent meritorious service, he had been promoted again. Even if he was facing retirement, his status remained unchanged. Thus, as soon as he asked, someone immediately replied.

"I know a little bit, but I’ll have to ask around for the details. How about I tell you later when you’re getting your IV drip?"

Zhou Qian twitched the corner of his mouth, causing the scar on his face to pull along with it.

He spoke as gently as possible, "Thank you."

Half an hour later, as the sharp needle pierced his vein, the nurse recounted the information she had gathered. ℯⅇ𝙡.

He subconsciously stroked his once-severed leg, falling deep into thought.

"Is the Ghost Orchid Fungus considered a type of plant?"