NOVEL NEXT chapter 130 - Summer, Day 24 03
By the time they returned to Reef Base, the sky had already dimmed. Though it wasn’t completely dark past seven o’clock, the sun was gone.
Yun Luohe rested only ten minutes, ate a quick plate of seafood fried rice, and then got back to work.
She pulled the Magnetic Storm Vein Core and the [Thunderstorm Stone] from her pack.
Those were the two items she had chosen from the chest. Though she had also wanted the Symbiosis Crystals and the Sandworm Queen’s Shedding, one cannot have both fish and bear’s paw.
After weighing her options, she picked what would benefit her most right now.
The Magnetic Storm Vein Core could be refined into Magnet ×500, and later even generate a permanent vein—clearly the most valuable thing in the chest.
As for the [Thunderstorm Stone], that was for repairing the trident.
The rest of the loot was divided among the others. The Ancient Civilization Stone Tablet was taken by Yu Chenjin—he claimed nothing else.
—
Refining Magnets required the smelting furnace. To process all 500 would take at least two days and nights. But Yun Luohe needed only about a hundred right now. By starting the refining immediately, she would have enough by tomorrow for the reef upgrade.
She then slotted the [Thunderstorm Stone] into the trident.
Even with that, two more stones were still needed to fully repair it.
She opened her chat window and noticed a message from Du Ruan-tian. He had agreed to her request and wanted to proceed with a trade.
Perfect. Since she no longer needed so many Magnets, she could renegotiate, ask for more furniture or rating-boosting items instead.
Besides, her thoughts lingered on the night market pass countdown—only four hours remained before it opened.
As she replied to Du Ruan-tian, she also prepared supplies to bring.
These past days she had been exchanging for milk at the Trading Center, stockpiling over a hundred portions. Tonight, she could make a hundred-plus servings of ice cream with the ice cream machine, plus a batch of fruit popsicles.
All across the reef, equipment was humming.
Cheese Maker, jam barrel, pickling jar, Ice Cream Machine, Oil Press…
Her plan was simple: bring as much as possible, make a killing at the night market.
She baked a batch of honey cheese cookies in the oven.
Then she had Yúntūn wash a hundred jin of mushrooms—planning fifty jin of fried mushrooms and fifty jin of mushroom meat sauce.
The aroma of food drifted through the reef. Roubao lingered nearby, eager to “help,” but really just angling for a snack.
While frying mushrooms, Yun Luohe tossed in a pan of dried fish for Roubao, then sent it off with a net to harvest shells. Finish the task, and it could eat.
Roubao happily complied.
Two hours later, the table before her was piled high with dishes.
She gazed at her handiwork, deeply satisfied. “This should be enough to sell.”
The oven chimed. Another tray of honey cheese cookies was done.
【Cooking Skill Upgraded — Lv.6】
【Unlocked: High-Grade Cooking Station】
[High-Grade Cooking Station: Comes with its own recipe book. °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Upon opening, twenty-plus dishes with special effects are displayed. Place the required ingredients to prepare the corresponding dish.]
Her cooking skill had finally leveled again.
Curious, she immediately placed the station in her kitchen and opened the menu.
Twenty-five dishes in total:
Mashed Potato Salad, Lobster Risotto, Mushroom Soup, Banana Cream Puff, Mapo Tofu, Beef Pie, Chicken Burger…
Mashed Potato Salad: Accelerates stamina recovery. +2 stamina per second (2 minutes).
Ingredients: potato, lettuce, lemon, egg, corn.
Lobster Risotto: Boosts combat ability and armor defense. Duration: 1 hour.
Mushroom Soup: Increases movement speed and stamina recovery. Movement +10 (5 minutes). +3 stamina per second (1 minute).
…
Each dish’s effect was strong. If not for time, she would have made fifty of each.
Less than two hours remained.
She decided to cook the simpler, easier ones, to bring along. Each station use made only one serving and required manually selecting ingredients from her pack. So better to load her bag with several sets of certain recipes and batch-produce.
Even if some didn’t sell, she could always eat them herself.
But Yun Luohe doubted such high-grade dishes would go unsold. More likely they would be snatched up.
She had only one worry left: best to write out prices in advance. Otherwise, if she changed them mid-sale, it could cause trouble.
After more prep—
Du Ruan-tian returned with new terms: fewer Magnets, but more furniture instead.
That suited her perfectly. They sealed the deal, and she even gave him a jar of mushroom meat sauce as a gift.
“Try this.”
With another [Thunderstorm Stone] in hand, she continued repairing the trident.
Now only one more was needed. Lightning patterns and arcs shimmered across its surface, dazzling. It felt heavy and solid, the weapon’s texture transformed.
She could hardly imagine its full power once complete—but it was certain to be extraordinary.
Time was short. She quickly cleared her pack—items not needed went into the crocodile-skin pack.
The sharkskin pack was loaded with food to sell. Her main pack carried weapons, trade tools, and her two pet pouches.
All ready, Yun Luohe gripped the night market pass.
Departure.
—
When night fell, she arrived at the market entrance on time.
The scene had changed again. No gaudy tents this time, but a lantern-lit street stretched ahead. Countless lanterns floated in the air, beautiful and dreamlike.
The NPCs who once stayed in tents now had stalls set up at the street’s front.
Alongside the familiar food, medicine, intel, equipment, and protection vendors, new NPCs sold clothing, furniture, and pets.
Liu Mazi too had a stall—it looked like a night market service center.
Several special booths had also appeared:
Balloon shooting: pay 200 Sand Coins. Hit 80% → reward 400 Sand Coins.
90% → 800 Sand Coins.
100% → 1,200 Sand Coins.
Astrology divination: turtle shell fortune-telling. 500 Sand Coins per try.
Yun Luohe didn’t rush to set up. She wandered first, amused.
But as more people arrived, she worried about losing a good spot. So she went to Liu Mazi for advice.
Thanks to her last favorability boost, he remembered her.
He even greeted her warmly. “Oh, it’s you again. I knew we’d meet once more.”
His tone suggested he said that to everyone. Yun Luohe smiled politely. “Yes. I want to ask about stalls. I have a permit.”
“This is easy,” Liu Mazi said. “Use the permit on any empty stall. That stall becomes yours. Remember, you must list your items first. Passing buyers can then see them.”
Smart system. Safer than leaving goods exposed to theft.
“And hey,” Liu Mazi added, “buy a Calling Horn from Old Wang. It’ll boost your sales.”
Old Wang? That must be the old man who sold tools.
She quickly claimed a stall near the entrance, listed a few goods, then hurried to Old Wang’s tool stand. She bought a Calling Horn for 100 Sand Coins—plus a signboard and a Concealment Talk Device.
The signboard let her write what she sold and what she wanted to buy. If someone lacked Sand Coins, they could barter.
The Concealment Talk Device created a privacy field. Others couldn’t overhear full conversations while she traded rare goods. Pricey at 400 Sand Coins, but worth it.
At first she listed only fried mushrooms, mushroom meat sauce, and cheesecake. Then she began adding more.
By now, crowds filled the street. Most players went to the NPC stalls first.
Yun Luohe pressed the horn. Her clear voice rose over the din:
“Special fried mushrooms! Mushroom meat sauce! Honey cheese cookies! Exclusive ice cream~”
The horn looped, drawing players in.
Someone eyed the glossy fried mushrooms hungrily.
“Why does it smell so good? Boss, is your Cooking Skill specialized?”
Time to highlight her edge.
“Cooking Skill Lv.6,” Yun Luohe said.
The crowd buzzed with excitement.
“How much?” Eyes sparkled.
“Open the goods list, prices are there,” she said, adding: “Fried mushrooms, thirty Sand Coins each. Mushroom meat sauce, eighty a jar.”
She pointed at the signboard. “I’ll also trade for Copper Ore or Magnets, though at a lower rate. I’m also buying food ingredients and special items.”
Immediately, a twin-tailed girl squeezed forward. “Can I trade freshwater? Three liters for three portions of fried mushrooms.”
Yun Luohe shook her head. She didn’t lack freshwater. She was here for things she truly needed.
“What about hardwood?”
“Will you take Iron Ore?”
“I’ve got sun-protection gear—interested?”
Questions poured in. Few wanted to use Copper Ore or Magnets. Few had Sand Coins either.
So Yun Luohe updated her signboard, adding more desired items.
【Thunderstorm Stones, Star Sand, Mother-of-Pearl, Copper Ore, Magnets, various food ingredients, electronic parts, keys…】
The twin-tailed girl blinked, then grinned, dimples showing. “Big sister, I have Star Sand!”
Yun Luohe’s expression changed. The item she had hunted for so long—here it was.
“How much do you have?”
“About a jin. How much food can I get?”
The girl didn’t even know its worth. The description only said it was rare. She was hoping someone might know its use.
“Two jars of mushroom sauce, plus one ice cream,” Yun Luohe offered.
She wasn’t sure of the proper value, but to her the Star Sand was critical—for the Lucky Seahorse Necklace.
No matter what, she had to obtain it.
The girl hesitated. “Can you add more?” She sensed its importance.
Their conversation was private, thanks to the device.
“One more serving of fried mushrooms, no more,” Yun Luohe said firmly, then turned to speak with other customers. Demand was too high to waste time.
“Quantities are limited,” she announced. “If you want it, buy it now.”
At that moment, a short, stocky man strode up. “I heard you’ve got high-grade cooking?”
“That’s right. You can browse and purchase.”
“I’ll take it all.”
The crowd went silent.
Yun Luohe said calmly, “Why don’t you check how much there is first? These high-grade dishes aren’t cheap.”
“No matter. I want it all.”
The twin-tailed girl grew anxious. “Wait! We had a deal first. I agreed—trade with me first!”