NOVEL NEXT Chapter 486: Mahogany Sunglasses
On a stormy, rainy day, there weren't many pedestrians in the small town. For safety reasons, Han Qiwu didn't ride his little horse out. Instead, he donned a raincoat and a straw hat, walking through the rain.
That little horse was raised by him, handful of grass by handful of grass, after all.
He'd feel terrible if it got struck by lightning.
When he arrived near the seed shop, Han Qiwu pushed the door open and headed straight for the spring seed vending machine.
Sure enough, new seeds had arrived.
[Radish Seeds: Plant in spring, mature in 10 days]
Price: 80 gold
[Baby Bok Choy Seeds: Plant in spring, mature in 7 days.]
Price: 80 gold
[Garlic Seeds: Plant in spring, mature in 12 days.]
Price: 120 gold
[Soybean Seeds: Plant in spring, mature in 15 days, with a small chance of harvesting multiple pods at once]
Price: 150 gold
[Oat Seeds: Plant in spring, mature in 20 days, with a significant chance of harvesting multiple heads of grain at once]
Price: 150 gold
[Seeds available in February and March omitted]
[More seeds will unlock in May]
It seemed like because spring was almost over, the seed shop had suddenly refreshed with five types of seeds, including the garlic and oat seeds Han Qiwu had been eyeing for a long time.
The other three seed types had their own uses too.
Radishes could be used in beef stew.
For instance, to deal with the unruly Kui Niu.
Baby bok choy was suitable for stir-frying, pickling, or even eating raw.
As for soybeans, their uses were endless.
Bean sprouts, tofu, soy milk, stinky tofu, fermented tofu—you name it.
It would be something to experiment with later.
After estimating the size of his land and checking his wallet, Han Qiwu bought 35 of each type of seed, spending a total of 20,300 gold.
The vending machine spat out 175 seeds in one go, making quite a satisfying clatter.
"Perfect, it's raining today. I'll plant them all when I return home after returning the books." Han Qiwu was brimming with enthusiasm as he packed up the seeds.
Farming is pure joy!
After packing up, he casually glanced at the nearby mission board.
A new mission had appeared.
[Eradication Mission - Alligator Gar]
[Mission Description: The invasive species Alligator Gar, which escaped from Ding Xuebo's hands, is about to enter Water Buffalo Town via the Water Buffalo River]
[Mission Objective: Eliminate the Alligator Gar and its eggs]
[Mission Reward: 5,000 gold + a one-time collectible item map ×1]
[Mission Deadline: 2 days]
"The Alligator Gar is coming to Water Buffalo Town? No way, is Ding Xuebo really that incompetent?" Han Qiwu reluctantly accepted the mission.
Not to mention that the mission reward was indeed generous.
Even if there were no reward at all, he would still take on this mission.
He couldn't allow this thing to wreak havoc in Water Buffalo Town!
[Mission accepted successfully]
After accepting the mission, Han Qiwu decided to discuss it with Ding Xuebo later tonight to see if he could get some assistance from his end in dealing with the Alligator Gar.
Even if Ding couldn't provide other help, asking him to chip in some resources would be fine too.
After all, financial aid is also a form of power.
After accepting the mission, Han Qiwu continued toward the blacksmith's shop.
When he pushed the door open, before Han Qiwu could say a word, Master Shuzi grumbled, "Why didn't you bring an umbrella? Stay at the door, don't come closer."
Han Qiwu: "..."
Next time for sure.
"Master, how's the research on that resin I brought you last time?"
Instead of answering, Master Shuzi chuckled and asked, "How's that giant spider puppet holding up?"
"It's incredible—great at both combat and defense. The only issue is that its durability depletes a bit quickly. I'll need to bring it back for repairs after a few more uses," Han Qiwu promptly replied.
Master Shuzi nodded in satisfaction and said, grinning, "Its current rate of durability consumption isn't bad yet. Once you encounter stronger enemies, its durability will deplete even faster. Don't forget, even though it can move freely, it's still just a dead object. It doesn't grow or develop. After some time, it'll need to retire."
Han Qiwu nodded. He had also considered this issue. Puppets weren't like pets; unless continuously strengthened with materials, they would gradually phase out of combat utility.
But that was a matter for the future. For now, Little Ice was still effective in the current mining layers.
Maybe in the not-too-distant future, he'd manage to create a Little Fire too.
Seeing that Han Qiwu had taken his advice to heart, Master Shuzi contentedly took out two pairs of sunglasses and handed them over.
The design of the sunglasses was entirely different from those typically seen. First of all, the frames were made entirely of wood. One pair had a wider frame, and the other narrower, both in a deep crimson color. The wood grain on the frames beautifully converged at the lenses, creating a stunning piece of art. The lens color, however, was similar to ordinary sunglasses—black and opaque.
"Wooden sunglasses? These are way too beautiful. Thank you, Master." Han Qiwu eagerly picked up the larger pair and tried them on.
The world turned dark.
Ahem.
It was already gloomy today because of the storm, and Master Shuzi's workshop was lit by oil lamps, making it dim.
With the sunglasses on, Han Qiwu felt almost blind.
But he wasn't impatient. He pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight, shining it at the sunglasses.
Finally, he could see the details in the lens under the flashlight's glow.
The light-blocking performance was exceptional!
What's more, the fit and comfort were better than any expensive sunglasses he'd borrowed from Ding Xuebo before. Thanks to the wooden frame's slight flexibility, they felt incredibly comfortable to wear.
[Redwood Sunglasses]
[Crafted by: Master Shuzi]
[Materials: Resin, Redwood]
[Note: A testament to friendship]
Glancing at the item description, Han Qiwu grinned mischievously.
Of course, these were handmade by Master Shuzi free of charge.
Having a good relationship really pays off, huh?
"How do they feel? You brought me quite a bit of resin last time, so I went ahead and made two pairs—one wider, one narrower. Take whichever you like," Master Shuzi said with a laugh once Han Qiwu took off the sunglasses.
Han Qiwu nodded. "These sunglasses are both stylish and effective at blocking light—thank you, Master."
Master Shuzi waved dismissively. "No need for thanks. Alright, if there's nothing else, I'm going to take a nap. Rainy days are the best for sleeping."
Seeing the master's intentions, Han Qiwu didn't linger and left the blacksmith's shop with the two pairs of sunglasses in hand.
Outside, he looked down at the narrower pair of sunglasses and thought that he might as well give them to Mr. Tang.
Summer was approaching, after all, and she'd probably need them for driving.
He just wondered if she'd like them.
At the same time, Tang Qingying, who was putting on a lab coat, suddenly sneezed.
A coworker standing nearby looked at her in confusion. "Didn't get enough rest? There's no strong odor here, though."
Tang Qingying waved her hand and, after taking a couple of deep breaths to confirm her respiratory tract felt fine, joked, "No big deal, maybe someone's thinking about me."
The coworker glanced at herself in the mirror, assessing her barely passable appearance with envy, and said, "Then it's definitely someone thinking about you. Sigh, maybe it's that male student who brings you meat. Ah, if I'd known, I would've become a teacher too. Look at me now—nobody thinks about me except my parents."
Tang Qingying patted her colleague's shoulder in consolation. "No worries. Borrow some money from someone, and I guarantee you'll be thought of every day."