Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Mount Helan was located on the borders of Western Xia province, stretching 220km from north to west and 40 km from east to west. Since it was around 200 km away from Lingzhou City, it was not actually too far.

Jiang He checked online, and found out that Mount Helan was within a region with frequent seismic activities: a magnitude-8 earthquake had occurred back in 1739 and a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred in 1561 and 1709.

There was also a coal mine over at the northern sector of Mount Helan, and there used to be a coal processing plant located in that region.

A lot of information about Mount Helan was available, just as there were a number of legends originating from that place.

The most famous amongst them were their many ancient cave paintings, most prominently of a sun god that was listed as one of the world’s most famous unsolved mysteries. There were many paintings of UFOS, and the people depicted there resembled extraterrestrials.

Although plants used to have a hard time growing on Mount Helan, its ecosystem changed drastically following the revival of qi. Bushes and forests were now growing atop the mountain, but with fearsome poisonous insects and Ferals moving in, no average joe would dare to venture inside.

On the other hand, Jiang He was quite interested in Mount Helan.

He was troubled that he had nowhere to cultivate in physical beast-taming. Would Mount Helan not be the best choice in that respect?

Hence, he told Mu Wanqiu over the phone, “Let’s go to Mount Helan, then. I’ve heard of the place long ago but never went there—should we ready up before we leave tomorrow?”

“You’ll decide when.”

After some thought, Mu Wanqiu asked, “Jiang He, Mount Helan is filled with poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, which would have evolved into Ferals after the Revival of Qi. Should I get some people from the Superpower Research Department to help?”

“Save the trouble… I’ll capture the Ferals first, and you could arrange for transport later.”

With that, Jiang He hung up.

Even as Mu Wanqiu listened to the beeping from the other end of the call, she was puzzled…

Why did it feel like Jiang He was rather… excited?

Was she imagining things?

She must be!

Live capture of Ferals was much more difficult compared to killing them. Moreover, Mount Helan was a dangerous place—even if there was no information on dangerous Ferals there, no one had ventured deep inside to investigate either. Who would know what unknown threats were there?

After musing for a moment, however, Mu Wanqiu returned to her work.

Meanwhile, Jiang He had returned inside his mansion, changed his clothes before going to Sora’s side while she wiped the floor on her knees, “Tidy up the house. I’m going into the city for a bit for an errand.”

He drove into Lingzhou City, visiting the agricultural market first and buying a lot of vegetable seeds.

After that, he went to a barbecue shop to replenish his spices and condiments, along with some other ingredients including steamed bean curd rolls, meatballs, and tofu.

Of course, he also bought a new barbeque set and equipment.

After all, he would get bored of eating smoked meat every day, and changing his palate occasionally was quite good.

“Right!”

“I still have to prepare for camping outside… since it could be noon when I wake up tomorrow. It’s very troublesome if I still have to look for Ferals after a two hundred kilometers journey!”

“I’m definitely not getting home tomorrow. How am I supposed to sleep without a safe, comfortable spot in the middle of the wild?”

Jiang He searched the streets over half a day, and only then did he manage to buy a simple single-person tent.

Although he still had eight more capsule mansions, those were too unbelievable. It would also be inconvenient to use it since Mu Wanqiu would be there as well, and he should have a tent ready just in case.

The sun was already setting when Jiang He returned home.

Sora was preparing dinner in the kitchen.

And at the living room, Dumbo was sitting cross-legged and leaning into the couch, wearing a pair of shades he found somewhere and chewing a cigarette, looking just like a thug dog.

Jiang He was quite amused.

Would it not be more outrageous if he got Dumbo a pair of flowery shorts?

“Master!”

Sensing Jiang He’s return, Dumbo promptly leaped up from the couch gingerly, just like a grade schooler who had committed an offense.

“Am I that scary?”

Jiang He teased, smiling. “I’ll call Duan Tianhe tomorrow to hook us up with internet, and I’ll also get a few computers and a TV, so you guys could relax while you look after the house… by the way, is dinner ready, Sora?”

“Soon, Master. Please wait for a moment.”

It was time for dinner after Jiang He washed his hands.

After finishing dinner, Jiang He went upstairs to have a bath. At the same time, after Sora was finishing cleaning the plates, she went to the bathroom on her own initiative to give him a massage. It was so comfortable—such was how plain life with a maid was.

Having bathed, Jiang He went to his bedroom, whipped out his phone, and swiped through the news.

Before he fell asleep, he went to take a look at the Warrior Home forums.

Surprisingly, there had been a dozen replies to his WTB mutated seeds post that he had put up hastily, although most of the replies were unrelated and could be ignored straightaway, half of which were about recruitment.

“How hard are these parties going with their recruitment? That they would try to pull me in on my own post?”

In truth, Jiang He had forgotten to make his personal information private. That was why every other martial artist and Awakened who could see his data and martial artist. It would be weird if they did not try to recruit him!”

Still, aside from those recruitment posts, there was a private message.

Jiang He clicked on it to find that it was sent by a user whose ID was the ‘Great Desert Swordsman’. His personal data was not set on private eighter, and Jiang He found out that he was actually a rank-four martial artist.

He was not strong, but certainly not weak either.

The legacy of martial arts has an extensive history, and one could cultivate techniques even before the Revival of Qi, although it would be more difficult before and easier afterward.

Of course, ‘easier’ was relative.

It was still not easy for a normal person to cultivate as a martial artist.

As for superhumans?

There was no common ground between the Awakened, and everything from how they awakened to what powers they awakened was random. In fact, after years of researching on that topic, the Superpower Research Department was still unable to find any method to control awakening.

Jiang He was not learned on that subject either, which was why he was not aware how awesome the grave grass that he planted was!

Back to the topic at hand.

Great Desert Swordsman’s message was simple:

I have information about mutated states available for 50 merit points. My mobile number is 131XXXXXXX…

Jiang He checked the time of the message—it was posted hours ago.

After some thought, he dialed Great Desert Swordsman’s number.

The dialing tone rang a dozen times.

Then, the call was answered, and a quiet but rough voice spoke from the other end. “Wang Meng speaking. Who are you?”

“Great Desert Swordsman?”

Jiang He asked, and after confirming that the other person was who had been looking for, he cut to the point, “I saw your comment at Warrior Home. You have information about mutated seeds for sale?”

“That’s right!”

Great Desert Swordsman answered from the other end. ‘I’ve discovered some mutated fungi out in the wild before, and my ascension to rank four has to do with that encounter.”

It appeared that Great Desert Swordsman was business savvy—he first released a hook that drew his audience’s interest before saying, “But I need you to pay up first. I’ll give you the information after I received the merit points. Don’t worry, I have some reputation in Xibei, I’m not going to cheat you off those dozens or so merit points…”

Beep!

Jiang He promptly hung up.

‘Is that man mental?

‘Pay first, goods later?

‘Is he doubting my reputation?’

“Mutated fungi…”

Jiang He muttered then. When it came to fungi, could it be the mushroom known as the prince?